Amidst the Silence
by Kazie Solo
Summary: {COMPLETE} Kuroudo's extraordinarily keen sense of hearing is one of his greatest strengths. But what if fate was cruel enough to take it away from him? Would he continue to participate in the upcoming World Cup, or would the tragedy cripple him forever?
1. Shattering Glass

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Prologue: Shattering Glass

A pair of bloodshot and watery eyes the color of glassy Mediterranean blue stared at its owner's reflection in the large wall mirror at the men's lavatory, eyes that belonged to one of the most prominent figures in the Orient in terms of Crush Gear Fighting. But the pain and anguish on the pale features of Kuroudo Marume were not brought about by their defeat in the Asian Cup finals against the Manganji Dream Team, disappointing as it was, but by something else that he himself wasn't completely sure of.

His moment of contemplation did not last long, however, for a force from his lower abdomen suddenly threw him forward, and resting against the sink with his two hands planted firmly on the tiles, he went through the unpleasant cycle of nausea once more. If the incident took place for the first time, he would've just whisked away the thought of it being something more complicated, throwing the blame on the food they had eaten at their last meal, but unfortunately, the situation wasn't that simple. And if it were, his companions would've been throwing up as well, alongside him in the quiet haven of the bathroom, missing the awarding ceremonies of the tournament they had participated in.

No, it was something more than squeamishness, and that was what the young man knew for certain. The attack began a few hours after his battle in the semi-final round against one of the members of the Four-Stars Team from China --- the match that was labeled as one of the most spectacular ones in the entire duration of the Asian Cup. But instead of celebrating in his victory and their team's advancement to the championship round, he spent the rest of the day inside his quarters, making up the excuse that he wanted to meditate. His teammates, used to the fact that he meditated all the time, left him without asking any more questions, not knowing that he had ended up on his knees, drenched with sweat, after an exhausting fit of nausea that lasted for who knew how long.

Kuroudo brought his eyes back up to look at his reflection, but instead of seeing the usual image of a composed, blond-haired Gear Fighter who appeared like there was nothing in the world that could trouble him and his ultra-unique _Shooting Mirage_, he saw a worn out boy that seemed to have been robbed of the energy that kept him going. Shaking his head, he turned the faucet on and splashed water on his face, hoping that it would make him look better. There was nothing he could do about _feeling_ better; except, perhaps, consult a doctor.

Which would have to wait. He wanted to go back to Japan first, above everything else.

After wiping his face dry, he took a deep breath and headed back to where his friends were, hoping that they wouldn't notice the difference in his features. But he hadn't even stepped out when he cringed and took a step back, muttering a complaint to himself about the deafening noise that embraced the triumph of the Manganji Dream Team in the Asian Cup. Shortly after, however, he regained his composure and went on his way, smirking as a thought crossed his mind. If _they_, the Tobita Club, had become the Asian Cup champions, he definitely wouldn't have minded the hullabaloo at all.

"We'll get them next year," Kouya Marino whispered in a determined tone as he and his friends walked away from the crowd that gathered around the Asian Cup champions, the Manganji Dream Team, headed by his greatest rival, Takeshi Manganji. Although he was disappointed by their defeat --- just as everyone else in the Tobita Club was --- he knew that sulking over the matter would do them no good. Just as what he told Takeshi, their failure wasn't the end of their hopes and dreams. It was only the beginning of a greater honor that was yet to come, that they were yet to achieve.

They were halfway out of the stadium, however, when the captain of the Tobita Club realized that the fourth member of their fighting force was still nowhere to be found. "Where's Kuroudo?" the youth asked, looking at his companions with a bewildered expression on his face. He knew that the other Gear Fighter left to attend to his personal necessities, but he had been away for far too long, things were getting fishy. A frown then appeared on his ever-enthusiastic features. "_Still_ in the bathroom? You don't think he's---"

"Crying?" came Jirou Oriza's suggestion, although it was evident in his eyes that he was rather amused by it. In fact, when Kouya's face showed nothing but concern about the welfare of their teammate, he let out a loud laugh. "Well, losing to a bunch of Gear Fighters under good 'ol Takeshi's wing would be something to cry about, and that would be fun to see that happen to an all-male team like ours, but _Kuroudo Marume?_ Nah."

As if in response to their team captain's inquiry, Kuroudo emerged from one of the many corridors, smiling thinly and rather pale --- paler than he usually was, that is. He wasn't good at pretending that everything was fine, but it was nothing for him to worry about, for his companions weren't good at detecting that something was wrong either. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he quickly apologized, not wanting to be asked questions that would force him to divulge the truth. Putting on the seemingly always-cool demeanor that he was known for, he added, "I met a friend on the way out."

But Lilika Tobita wasn't so dense. "Is there something wrong, Kuroudo? I mean, you look pale."

The young Gear Fighter froze at that question, seeing it coming the moment he left the comfort room, but not expecting that it would actually be asked. But he had to give an answer, lie or not, for all eyes were then on him, making him feel uncomfortable by the second that passed. "It's nothing," he settled with a lie, looking away from his expectant comrades --- most especially from Kyousuke Jin who was staring at him intently --- then glanced up to indicate the fancy-looking bulbs that generated a bright yet rather eerie glow inside the chamber. "It's just the light."

---

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Author's Notes: There's only one reason why I wrote this fic: I'm simply obsessed with the series. So even if I only saw a few episodes, and that I don't know much about anything else except the main characters and the names of their Gears, I'm still writing this. So please, bear with the insanity, bear with any mistakes, and be so kind to point them out to me. Anyway, I'd like to ask a couple of things because I have no idea about these: Is Jirou an only child? Is Kyousuke an only child? Are both of their parents, including Kuroudo and Kouya, present? I know that Kouya has a brother and that Kuroudo's an only child, but nothing else about their families. I started following the series closely in the middle of the Asian Cup. *slaps forehead* 

I guess that basically wraps things up. Thanks in advance, everyone! If you want me to continue with this little fic of mine, please let me know by leaving a review. Suggestions, corrections and additional information will be very much appreciated by this deranged fangirl. *bows*


	2. Warning Bell

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Chapter One: Warning Bell

It had been a long time ever since Kuroudo last saw the large ball of fire in the sky set with much clarity, without jumbled thoughts going through his head and therefore distracting him. It was a spectacular sight, and he was glad to share it with his best friend, who sat right beside him without saying a word. The moment was too precious for any of them to take for granted --- just like their friendship that came dangerously close to its breaking point. _Too close, in fact,_ the blond-haired young man corrected himself, pressing his lips together firmly to supress a scowl that would've ruined the moment. _All for a stupid microchip…_

"I'll fix the _Shooting Mirage,_ don't worry," Kyousuke assured, leaning back against the wooden bench casually. The scene that played in front of them reflected itself through his spectacles, but his attention was not focused on it anymore, but rather on the still figure of his teammate. The _Shooting Mirage_ was of sentimental value to Kuroudo, as it carried memories of his life and of his friends back in France, and the fact that it was destroyed because of a crazy experiment inspired by his so-called _'instinct'_ seemed something to be upset about. Kuroudo's match with Gavin Connor Hammer, the European champion from Team Griffon who came to Japan to battle him, ended in a draw but left his Gear a wreck. It wasn't a pleasant sight; even the Gear Master didn't like it.

But to the genius' surprise, the other shook his head, and the gesture stunned Kyousuke greatly, pushing him to utter an expression filled with disbelief. Did he hear it right? _No?_ Kuroudo didn't want his Gear to get repaired? The Gear that brought him victory, from France and all the way to the Asian Cup? "I believe the _Shooting Mirage_ has fulfilled its mission," came Kuroudo's soft-toned explanation, his eyes still focused on the setting sun as if he was entranced by it. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he cocked his head to the side slightly to flash a teasing smile towards his companion. "Besides, I don't think I'd ever allow a VT Chassis to be incorporated in it, even if _you_ personally advised that I do."

Kyousuke smiled back. "I'll make you a new one, then."

Those words didn't linger among the notes of silence for long, because they suddenly heard voices coming from above the hill that was situated behind where they were sitting. It was Kouya, calling out the blond's name loudly, momentarily forgetting that the person he was looking for had the keenest sense of hearing among the four representatives of the Tobita Club. But the young Gear Fighter wasn't alone; also with him was the fourth member of their team, Jirou, and two members of Team Griffon, who were Kuroudo and Kyousukes' former teammates.

After a few minutes of thanking, hugging, squishing, hair ruffling, and other gestures depicting gratitude and pride in Kuroudo's _'victory'_ against the notorious Gavin, the two Gear Fighting teams parted ways. And since the triumphant young man felt very much happier than he usually was, he invited his comrades over for dinner at his place, which came as yet another surprise. "Mom wouldn't mind," he said off-handedly with a slight wave of his hand as he led the way towards the Marume residence, his friends following very close behind. "It's been a while since we had guests anyway. She'd love to fix something up for you. French cuisine, anyone?"

The inquiry definitely perked up the others; at least, Kouya and Jirou. They named one dish after the other in excitement, giving out those they have never tasted in their lives and mispronouncing each one that Kuroudo had to correct them after every suggestion. Kyousuke, on the other hand, stalked behind the three in silence, although the expression on his framed face was not that of contempt or discord --- expressions that had been almost always on his features ever since he dropped out of Crush Gear Fighting more or less a year ago --- but rather of silent amusement. He could not help but let a smile leak through, however, when Jirou added before letting out a loud laugh, "And don't forget my red bean buns!"

"Wow, you cook great, Marume-san!" Kouya exclaimed loudly before stuffing yet another spoonful of _froide sauge_ into his mouth. With his cheeks bulging like a balloon, he looked around the different dishes that were prepared for them and thought of which one to try out next; there was so much to eat in so little time. Spotting the delicious-looking _ris engoul_ --- the so-called _'fancy rice' _with bits and pieces of sumptuous meat --- at the opposite end of the dining table, he nudged Kyousuke to get the plate and hand it over to him as he continued to chew and swallow the food that filled up his mouth. "Kuroudo's _so_ lucky to be able to feast like a king everyday!"

The comment earned another roar of laughter from the Gear Fighters who ate to their hearts content and their hostess, the hospitable Armelle Marume, Kuroudo's blond-haired, blue-eyed mother. She was a very warm and personable individual, and her pleasing attitude made Kouya and Jirou conclude in silence that their comrade got his rather aloof and serious attitude from his father, who they haven't heard about ever since they got together as a Gear Fighting team. They didn't want to push their luck in asking Kuroudo about him, though, because they were sure he wouldn't want them to not mind their own business. They just hoped the time would come that he would tell them the truth.

As the uproar died down into a few words here and there, Kuroudo rose, excused himself from his mother and his guests, and headed towards the bathroom. His absence would've gone unnoticed if he came back quickly, but he lingered in the lavatory long enough for Kouya to inquire about him once again, similar to what the youngster did back at Singapore when the Asian Cup attained its conclusion. "Why so surprised?" the Gear Master suddenly intervened after putting down his glass of water on his side of the table, looking at Kouya intently through his large eyeglasses. "You know how hygienic and systematic Kuroudo is; he can't live without things being clean and in order. He's actually one of the neatest Gear Fighters I know."

"Don't worry about him, Kouya," Armelle guaranteed with a soft smile. "He's just like that."

But Kouya was not definitely not convinced, despite the fact that the persons who assured him that Kuroudo was going to be fine was the blond Gear Fighter's mother, _and_ his best friend. Reaching under the table to fix his shoe that was about to fall off --- he had been playing with it throughout the meal --- he glanced around uneasily and prepared to leave the table. _They don't understand! This isn't the first time Kuroudo stayed too long in the bathroom! I know he told us that it was the light, and that he's pale-skinned, but I've seen him long enough to know how pale his complexion is and know the difference!_

Pretending to feel all jittery due to the call of nature, he got up on his feet and excused himself in a hurry. As he left, he heard Jirou comment, "So _that's_ why he asked what's taking Kuroudo so long," but he didn't care about it anymore. There was something wrong, _very wrong_ with his friend, but unfortunately, he was the only one who noticed. Thus, he was the only one who could help. At that, he tore through the corridor that led to the Marume's lavatory in a half-run, his footsteps echoing through the bare hall with a certain pattern of sound. Finally, his destination was in sight, and he quickened his pace even more, getting more desperate by the second.

He gripped the doorknob, twisted it, and pushed the door open.

---

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Author's Notes: I know that all of you, more or less, expected Kyousuke to have spotted the difference that Kouya did, but I'm afraid I had to change things a little bit to build the angsty atmosphere. Please don't flame me about that; I did it for a reason, and it will come handy in the later chapters. Anyway, I would like to thank **Ice Suzaku** and **Hareta** for helping me out with the details. The details you gave me were priceless! And of course, I'd like to thank **Fire Princess**, my ever-wonderful sister, for reading. The Takeshi side-story _will_ take formation soon.

I'm not going to deny that something's wrong with Kuroudo, but any guesses on what might he be going through? And I almost forgot: _froide sauge_ is a French chicken dish; I had to go through sites to find the names I used in this chapter. Also, I'm playing around with my little theory that Kuroudo is half-French, so please excuse whatever bits and pieces of my insanity you'll find scattered around in this fic. I just come up with the weirdest things. Thanks again, everyone!


	3. Cruel Robbery

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Chapter Two: Cruel Robbery

"Oh my God!" Armelle screamed as she came upon her unconscious son who was slung over Jirou's shoulder, looking very pale and feeling very cold, almost as if he was dead. Kuroudo had been found in that state by the Tobita Team captain, Kouya, on the tiled floor of the Marume's bathroom, sprawled with his hair and face soaked wet due to the water that dripped from the still-open faucet. He had obviously lost consciousness while cleaning up the mess he made in the lavatory sink, brought about by another cycle of nausea that had been bothering him ever since the Asian Cup. "Kyousuke, get him a shirt, quick! Second drawer from the top! Kouya, call for an ambulance! Please hurry, I beg you!"

As soon as Kuroudo was laid on the couch, she went to work, putting a fairly large pillow under his blond head to make him feel more comfortable --- Armelle could not help but worry about such trivial matters even if her son was practically unconscious --- and undressing him with a mother's loving touch. The young Gear Fighter was breathing, yes, but it was too slow that she felt like she could not breathe herself as she waited with much anticipation for the better for his chest to rise once more. Fainting was one thing; vomiting _then_ fainting was another.

Kouya was yelling at the telephone, intended for the person at the end of the line, demanding the medical personnel to come to the Marume residence quickly before anything worse would take place. Kyousuke, on the other hand, was running down the staircase from Kuroudo's bedroom with a shirt in hand, white-colored like most of his best friend's upper garments. Handing it to the older Marume, he watched the scene that took place in front of him in silence, concern and frustration dominating his solemn face. _How could I not have noticed?! How could I not have felt that something was wrong?! How could I not have known that something was wrong, when in fact Kouya did?! I'm supposed to be his best friend!_

"Has this happened before?" Kuroudo's mother demanded, her voice rising in pitch and volume in her alarm. She had both her hands clamped over the young man's own, hoping to keep him safe and to keep him warm for the longest time possible. In fact, she was afraid that if she would let go, her son's life would slip away from her grasp, never to return. She told herself that she was being paranoid, but there was nothing she could do to make herself stop worrying. Not until Kuroudo would wake up and tell them that he was fine, not until a doctor would examine her little boy and tell her that he was fine.

"Back in Singapore, Marume-san, but it wasn't _this_ serious. He just looked really pale --- paler than he normally is, I mean --- and we thought it was just the light because he said so himself," Jirou replied slowly and carefully, in a hesitant fashion, trying to pick the exact words to say. To frighten the terrified woman even more was something he did not want to do, but he was sure that the situation would grow worse if he'd answer her with a lie. "He stayed long in the bathroom again, although he told us that he met a friend on the way out. Now that I've seen him like this, I believe that something similar must've happened, too."

Though usually calm and composed like the young Gear Fighter, Armelle found herself screaming at her son's comrade, her emotions sputtering out of her control. "_Never,_ _ever_ believe him when he says it's nothing!" She regained her composure as soon as she lost it, however, making her gasp in surprise at what she did. Quickly, she muttered an apology to the baffled Jirou, who thankfully managed to tell her that he understood despite the fact that he was taken aback by her sudden outburst. Afterwards, she gripped Kuroudo's clammy hand even tighter, her tear-stained eyes fixed only on his still form and nothing else but that, hoping against hope that her one and only child would make it through whatever challenge he was fighting against.

Kuroudo hated hospitals, and to his misfortune, he regained consciousness only to find himself trapped inside one, alone and with no one to keep him company except a bunch of machines and devices that he didn't really care about. He only had the time to scowl at his ill luck for a second, however, for a series of thoughts and ideas immediately entered his mind as soon as his vision and sense of awareness returned --- questions starting with _why_. Why was he, of all places, in a hospital? Why didn't he feel too good, like he was going to have to go to the bathroom any minute and throw up? Why was the place so quiet, when even at early mornings, most infirmaries weren't?

The next set of questions began with _what_. What was going on? What happened to him? What happened to the medical personnel inside the hospital? He sighed as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position, almost unable to do so because of all the annoying technical devices that were attached to him. He remembered being inside his home, with his mother and his friends from the Tobita Club, eating and drinking as much as their bodies would allow them to. He recalled standing up and excusing himself from everyone else to go to… to the bathroom. He went to use the bathroom, because… because… because he felt like vomiting again, like all those other times. But unlike all those other times, he… he… he…

A frown appeared on his pale yet thoughtful features, his blue-green eyes narrowing significantly --- not because he could not remember what happened after he arrived in the bathroom, but because it was simply _too_ quiet. Silence was Kuroudo's companion, his friend, and a very good one at that, as it enabled him to think straight and sort out his feelings and thoughts, but the tranquility that was keeping him company at that moment was simply unpleasant.

Then he remembered; the memory of his final moment of sentience at his home resurfacing from out of nowhere. He _fainted_ after vomiting, releasing the grip he kept over his consciousness and succumbing to the force that had been trying to pull him into the darkness after every cycle of nausea. His friends must've checked up on him when he didn't return after a long time, finding him knocked out cold on the tiled floor, and panicking --- his mother, most especially --- they brought him over to the hospital to be examined and diagnosed for whatever was toying with him. And he could not say that there was nothing wrong with him, because he then would be lying, lying to himself. Deep inside his heart, he was certain that he was sick; he just did not know _what_ that sickness was, only _how_ sick he was.

His eyes then flew wide open, losing their color considerably as he fell back against the foamed bed and soft pillows, his body weakening evidently as the rest of the puzzle pieces closed on each other, fitting together and showing him the terrifying conclusion of the short story that was taking place. There was only one reason why he could not come up with a logical explanation to justify the stillness of the infirmary, only one reason why he was trapped inside its intimidating-looking white walls, only one reason why the silence seemed very uncomfortable for him.

Fate had just robbed him of his sense of hearing.

---

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Author's Notes: I'm evil, aren't I? I don't know why but the characters I tend to torture in fanfiction are those I love the most; in the case of CGT, Kuroudo. Anyway, thanks to all those who read and reviewed; you guys rock! It's fun to write, but it's a lot more fun when you know your efforts are appreciated. *grins*


	4. Terrifying Results

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Chapter Three: Terrifying Results

"It's called _Meniere's Disease_, Madam Marume," Dr. Hikaru Furiko began in a soft, sympathetic tone, almost as if she did not want to relay the news that would change the life of her patient and that of his friends and family. But she was a doctor, a professional; it was her duty to inform them about what they needed to know --- and she was going to tell them all about it, no matter what. "A rare and somewhat incomprehensible illness with very unpleasant results, believed to be due to the build-up of pressure inside the inner ear, which in turn damages the delicate sensory organs. The victim first suffers from repeated attacks of nausea and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, and those attacks don't stop until he or she is stone deaf. Our databanks state that middle-aged individuals are usually affected by it, and that the disease progresses so slowly that deafness may never occur, but your son had just proven that the information database we've been relying on is wrong."

The look on Armelle's face was that of disbelief and denial, as if she thought that the specialist was joking around with regards to Kuroudo's condition. Her eyes were already moist with unshed tears, however, showing that no matter how hard she tried to reject the data she had been given, denying its truthfulness, she knew deep inside that she was looking at the truth face-to-face. "_Deaf?_" she asked in a whimper, her voice barely leaving her throat. Both her hands were clamped into fists, and she rested them against her lap forcefully, hoping to draw strength from them somehow.

The patient's closest friends, who insisted that they be told the news as well so as not to be left out, were frozen on the spot, staying in their positions in utter stillness, practically unable to move or say anything in reaction to what had just been said. The devastating blow that hit them square on their faces totally caught them off-guard; who would've thought Kuroudo would lose, of all things, his sense of hearing? He had the best pair of ears among them, able to hear almost every little sound, and that ability of his had been of great help in his Gear Fighting career. But now that his gift had been taken away, stolen unkindly and without warning, his comrades in the Tobita Club could not help but wonder how he would deal with the loss.

Dr. Furiko nodded slowly, her eyes undeniably sad. A mother and a friend herself, she was aware of the pain her patient's loved ones were feeling at the discovery. "And the disease is also difficult, if not impossible, to treat, with practically a one-in-a-million chance of recovery. The attacks may be reduced by the use of antihistamine drugs, but the condition will continue to progress. The best solution would be surgery, but not only is it costly…" her voice trailed off, not knowing if she should continue, for the last option wasn't exactly what one would call a solution. She took a moment to take a sufficient amount of air in, then finished, "…it will involve the surgical destruction of the inner ear, causing complete deafness but relieving the patient of nausea and tinnitus."

"God, no…" the blond woman managed to blurt out in a whisper, her face paling considerably that the doctor feared that Armelle would not be unable to take it anymore and lose consciousness. Her words, however, were seconded by gasps from her younger companions, all of them as devastated as she was.

"Isn't there any other way?! Any other surgical method?! Anything?!" Kyousuke half-yelled in a frustrated, angry tone, rising from his seat with his hands clamped together tightly at his sides and tears squinting through his eyes, evident despite the spectacles he was wearing. Kuroudo was the closest he had to a brother, and there was no way he was going to sit down and take the news like it was nothing to worry about. He had done everything he could for his best friend in the past, one of his courses of action even resulting to the near-destruction of their friendship, and he would do the same now. He would do everything _and_ anything just for him.

But Dr. Furiko only shook her head, she herself wishing there was another way.

Armelle was permitted to take her son home the very next day, but not without being told everything that she needed to do not only in case of emergency, but for the patient's situation as a whole. She tried as hard as she could to keep a carefree disposition as one of the medical personnel drove them back to their residence, but it only took one look at Kuroudo's pale face to blow the façade away. He looked so dispirited, so melancholic yet so apathetic and bitter at the same time. His turquoise eyes looked as if they were made out of glass --- sharp as if lined with anger; cold as if frozen in ice. His expressive lips, on the other hand, seemed to take only two forms: a downward curl that would reflect his sorrow; or a thin, slightly diagonal line that was closest to a scowl.

Though he wasn't completely deaf, all he could hear was a buzzing noise that appeared to come from the back of his head, like a swarm of bees stalking him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Extremely annoyed by the only sound his ears would permit him to hear, he had decided to undergo surgery, despite his mother's protests that it wasn't going to do him any good. "But if this is what I'll be listening to for the rest of my life," he had written angrily during their discussion of the different options Dr. Furiko told them about just the night before, "I'd rather not hear a thing at all."

He rested against the soft-cushioned seat, the look of indifference staining his handsome features as he gazed far away, his thoughts far. He had lived a good, prosperous and successful life despite his father's absence --- in the Gear Fighting world, most especially --- but it only took one disease to take away all his plans, dreams and aspirations for the future, one disease to destroy all that he had worked for and achieved. And Kuroudo knew, with a high level of certainty, that he didn't have the heart, just as he didn't have the hearing, to take part in a Crush Gear battle ever again.

---

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Author's Notes: I told Hareta that I'd update if I get a good score in our Math exam, but fortunately I found the time and the right mood to write despite of the terrible result, so there it was, the new chapter. I know that making Kuroudo deaf is something really evil, but well, plot calls. I usually write fics based on 'what if's, and that was the what if that came to my mind, so… I sorted the details out and decided to write! And here's the fic. *grins* So anyway, thanks for taking your time to read; comments will be very much appreciated! 


	5. Untimely Resignation

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Chapter Four: Untimely Resignation

The three new members of the Tobita Club squatted on the floor of their headquarters, listening to Kouya and Jirou patiently, who were unfortunately having trouble at keeping away the morose look from their faces. Kuroudo's condition had capsized the ship of their emotions, as they had grown so fond of the blond Gear Fighter that they could feel the same pain that was eating up his heart due to the loss of his hearing. "There will be a practice match three days from now," the older of the two continued, trying to focus at their newfound friends' faces instead of the image of a disheartened, sardonic Kuroudo, "against the Gear Fighter of your choice. If you want to battle me, don't worry. I'll be more than glad to accommodate our match in my busy schedule."

As the rookies burst into a fit of laughter, Jirou could not help but wish that their comrade would one day smile again like how the new Gear Fighters were smiling; their smiles spread from one ear to the other in graceful, heartwarming arcs that would definitely do Kuroudo more good than a scowl. "Really? Even Kuroudo?" one of the two female newcomers asked Jirou, excitement shining through her vigor-filled blue eyes as she leaned back against the dark-colored backpack she had put aside. Midori Ichikawa, a tall and lean teenager of tomboyish breed, was recruited by accident by Kouya --- he had spotted her outside one of the Manganji's main offices, in a raving fit, cursing Takeshi and the rest of the Manganji Dream Team like there was no tomorrow, and holding her battered Gear, the _Vacuum Vortex_, close to her.

Hoping that the expression on his face would not give away their friend's condition, which they had promised to keep a secret so as not to cause him any more trouble, Jirou spared a sideward glance towards Kouya, Kaoru and Lilika. The look on their faces told him that they should go on with what they were doing: pretending that everything was all right. "Of course. I said so, didn't I?" he replied coolly, tucking his hands into his pockets and clamping them together as soon as they were out of the new members' sight. "Although you can't --- unfortunately --- experience battling the _Shooting Mirage_; it's under repair right now."

"Oh darn," Midori commented under her breath, an odd gleam leaking through her deep sapphire orbs, the gleam of a fierce desire that would drive one into a state of obsession if not met. She then sighed, disappointed. "I'll fight the Gear Master, then."

A sigh of relief escaped Kouya's lips, so much more when the other two members --- Shiawase and Nimuri Furu, a brown-eyed brother-sister tandem --- requested to battle him; tag-team, if possible. It was no longer a problem if Kuroudo would choose not to show up in three days' time, but they still hoped that he would do so and lift their spirits up. The Tobita Club was definitely not going to remain the same without him. "Well, why not? Besides, it'll be a good opportunity for us to witness how well two siblings battle together, and see what we can do about it." He then winked. "But no cheating, okay? I want a good, fair fight that we can all enjoy."

That was when Lilika felt a soft tap on her shoulder, breaking her focus, and as she cocked her head to the side slightly to see what Jirou had to tell her, she spotted their club's Gear Master, Kyousuke, standing not very far from them, and she immediately knew that it was the mechanics genius who wanted to speak to her. Turning around casually, she made her way towards the boy, who was the most disheartened one so far among the Gear Fighters who came to the club's center of operations. He was very much upset about Kuroudo's condition, not only because of its severity and the fact that the victim of the monstrous disease was his best friend, but most especially because there was nothing he could do to make a difference, nothing he could do to bring back what had been taken away from the other young man. And to make matters worse, he didn't even notice that something was wrong to begin with.

"My father agreed to fund the operation," she began, keeping her voice low and trying to minimize her gestures by clasping her hands together. She already knew what he wanted to ask her about. "He talked to Marume-san about it last night, and told her everything she needed to know. She didn't want to accept his proposal at first, but she was eventually convinced that it was for Kuroudo's own good. They'll be leaving for the United States in two days." She then felt something come up to her throat, blocking her voice. "I just hope… that he won't give up on Gear Fighting. It'll be tough, I know… but he can't possibly back out now that he's come this far. I'm not saying this because of the club, but because of himself. He…"

"He won't, Lilika. He won't." But then Kyousuke's voice wavered. "I hope."

"Why do I seem to doubt that, though?" Jirou pitched in as he walked up to the two, trying to keep an offhand tone in his voice that could easily be projected into the other end of the room. Then, his eyes widened slightly as he caught sight of the door; his companions sported the same expressions as well as soon as they realized what the other Gear Fighter had just seen. "Okay, so I was wrong."

Kuroudo was standing stiffly by the doorway, although the warm smile that used to fill his face upon his arrival at the club's headquarters had been replaced by a look of indifference, accompanied by what they all understood to be a glare. He made his way towards Lilika without so as much as a side-glance towards his teammates, his frigid turquoise eyes boring at her as he approached. Then, without a word, he pulled out a folded piece of white paper from his pocket and handed it to the woman who stood in front of him with an apathetic expression on his pale, handsome features.

A resignation letter.

He didn't even pause long enough to observe his comrades' reactions; once the paper slipped out of his hands, he turned around and proceeded towards the exit, his face a mask of undecipherable emotions. Lilika took a step forward, at the verge of calling out to the young Gear Fighter in hopes to somehow make him change his mind and take back what he had given, but his best friend, Kyousuke, held his arm out to stop her. "Give him time," the Gear Master found himself saying softly, although his heart was practically screaming Kuroudo's name, his voice pounding angrily inside his head that the blond young man stop acting like an idiot and get back inside for a battle.

But the captain of the Tobita Club refused to let Kuroudo's actions pass. He grabbed the resignation letter from Lilika's hand and darted towards the door to prevent the other from leaving, a stubbornly determined look on his youthful features. The older of the two was forced to a halt at that, but the glare on his pale face grew even fiercer than ever. "You're not leaving the club, Kuroudo," Kouya announced, his trembling hands gripping the piece of paper the other Gear Fighter had submitted. He ignored the slight head movement Kuroudo let out, which was meant to warn him off --- as well as Kyousuke's yell from the far end of the room to leave his best friend alone --- telling himself firmly that there was no way he would give in to the situation. "I won't let you, no matter what you say, no matter what your reason is. I won't let you. This didn't do you any good the last time; it won't do you any good now."

Channeling all his energy to his hands, Kouya tore the resignation letter in half.

---

****

Author's Notes: I'm back with an update, yay to me! Seriously, I updated because I was able to answer my Math exam, which was enough for me. At least I won't get a zero. *grins* Anyway, I'm going to play around with everyone here, but don't worry, I promise there'll be a happy ending. And a sequel --- yes, I can promise that this early. So keep your reviews coming! The more you review, the more I get inspired. The more I get inspired, the more I write. The more I write, the more you can read. See how beneficial it will be for you? =P


	6. Rainy Afternoon

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Chapter Five: Rainy Afternoon

The rest of the day did not go well for Lilika, no matter how hard she tried to look into the bright side of things. Despite their acts of defiance, Kouya most especially, they were unable to stop Kuroudo from leaving them. He didn't even say anything to rebuke the club's captain for tearing the resignation letter; he only walked past the younger boy without a word, making an unpleasant shiver run down their spines as he did so. And he did not turn back. He disappeared into the bright morning light, although it seemed the complete opposite for the rest of the Tobita Club.

But the blond Gear Fighter's departure was not the only thing that made Lilika upset. Later that day, while browsing through the World Wide Web in search for an interpreter she could hire to assist Kuroudo during his stay in the United States, she spotted a full-length story of the young man's illness and resignation at the GFA website. She had slammed her fists on the keyboard at the sight of the article, her temper slipping out of her control; how could the others have known when the select few who did promised to keep it a secret?! To her anger and frustration, the exposition was published with complete details, all of them right --- the series of attacks back during the Asian Cup, the disease and its real nature, the reason of Kuroudo's resignation, and the fact that Takaya Tobita, her father, was sponsoring the surgery.

She continued to walk under the pouring rain, holding the plastic folder that contained the printout of the article close to her. Though she hated being soaked wet, she found herself enjoying the weather to the full extent. She didn't even bother to call up her driver and request that she be picked up; the cold fangs of the shower felt very pleasant in comparison to Kuroudo's resignation and the news that was spreading all over the world like wildfire.

"Lilika!" a voice suddenly called out from behind her, and when she didn't stop, the owner of the voice repeated her name again. Sighing in annoyance, she turned around to see who it was, and found herself looking at a Gear Fighter in a red jacket with narrowed eyes. Takeshi, however, plainly ignored the look that she was giving him; his attention was not on her acrimonious disposition, but rather on the fact that she was walking around while raindrops were falling on her head. It was something Lilika Tobita wouldn't normally do. He folded his arms in front of his chest and asked, "What in the world are you doing? Is something wrong?"

"It's none of your business, Manganji."

He allowed a smile. Lilika never called him by his last name, even if they had broken off into two rivaling Gear Fighting teams. "It's raining," he pointed out bluntly, gesturing towards the spot where he was standing to suggest that she take refuge under the waiting shed that was keeping him dry. But she shook her head in reply. "Fine. Suit yourself, _Tobita_." His smile had transformed into a smirk by then, amused that he had gotten back at her so soon, even if he originally didn't intend to. "But tell me, are the rumors true? Is Marume really… well, _deaf?_"

Those words made the young woman angrier than ever, as that was precisely the reason why she didn't want the news about Kuroudo's condition to be divulged. Many disliked the Tobita Club and its members, especially those who experienced defeat by the hands of the four young men who lead the entire team, and like Takeshi, they would not let the chance of insulting the youngsters pass. Enraged, she stormed towards the Gear Fighter and slapped him --- slapped him _hard_. "I should've known," she spat in a low, lethal voice. "Who else has the power and resources to do such a thing, to divulge such a secret? I thought you were better than that, Manganji, but apparently, I was wrong! You'd do _anything_ just to destroy the Tobita Club, and I've seen that! First you convinced Kyousuke to join you and figure out the secrets of the _Garuda Eagle_ for your benefit; and now, you scattered the news about Kuroudo's condition to the whole word! How low could you get?!"

"Excuse me, Tobita, but Jin joined and _used_ us to figure out the secrets of the _Garuda Eagle_ for _your_ team's benefit. He _took advantage_ of the highly technological devices at our laboratories to help Marino and your team gain victory," Takeshi retorted coolly, despite the fact that he was already mad at what she had done to him. Slapping others and accusing them falsely were very bad things to do. "And second, I did _not_ have anything to do with the article about Marume, as much as you think I did; I was just as surprised as everyone else to read all about it at the GFA's website."

"Then how did the news leak out?! Who could've done it?! Only you, Manganji --- only _you!_" Her anger getting the best of her, Lilika began to pound Takeshi's chest with her fists as he walked up to her, but to her surprise, he just stood there and simply allowed her to lash out all of her anger on him. Shortly after, her tears took over, and she buried herself into his arms. 

__

That made Takeshi flinch, as he did not expect that things would take that much of a turn. He pushed her away reflexively, but his apparently rough gesture was immediately redeemed as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shivering form. Even if their bodies touched only for a few heartbeats, he felt how cold she had become due to the rain that soaked her from head to foot, felt how miserable and alone she was at the recent happenings. She cared too much for her team and its members, just like a loving, concerned mother. That, the Gear Fighter knew, was the reason why the Tobita Club never crumbled despite of all the pressure, despite of all the trials and tribulations --- the members cared for one another, not only as teammates, but as friends and family.

He then turned around and walked away, leaving the sobbing young woman on her own. He was only a few meters away from where he last stood, however, when he stopped, closing his eyes in solemn contemplation. "I had nothing to do with the article, Lilika," he said softly, his hands resting casually at his sides. "I know I've lied to you before, but you have to believe me this time. I absolutely had nothing to do with it." A red car then rounded up from a nearby curb and came to a halt in front of the black-haired young man. Before he slipped into the automobile, however, he told her, "By the way, Natsuuko Takate would be your best bet. Her profile's at the MCO website --- if you're interested."

And at that, Takeshi Manganji left.

---

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Author's Notes: MCO stands for Manganji Corporation, the name I made up for the Manganji group of companies for this fic of mine. Anyway, here's an update, because I got a good grade (praise God) in our Math long exam! I was surprised myself at the turn of events, and of course, very happy! *jumps around* So… I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but it'll be sometime this week. This is actually the only fic I've been working on recently. Again, thanks for your reviews. You guys are great!


	7. Anguished Cries

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Chapter Six: Anguished Cries

"What are you doing here?" Kyousuke Jin asked in annoyance, his eyes narrowing drastically that his visitors noticed the change despite the pair of eyeglasses he was wearing. He rose from his seat, putting away a large piece of paper that contained a sketch of the new Gear he was designing, and faced the newcomers with a scowl. "If you've come to ask if the rumors are true, I tell you that they are. The whole story at the GFA's website is true as well. Satisfied? Now go, get out and leave me alone; I'm busy here." He then added under his breath, "I swear I'm going to seal that door with a password… I can't work with people just barging in without permission whenever they please!"

"But they _can't_ be true! Kuroudo _can't_ be deaf! You're lying, Kyousuke! You're lying, just like everyone else! Just like the author of that stupid story!" Kazuya Shichigawa, the Gear Master's former teammate, insisted, his hands clamped into fists on his sides. He couldn't and didn't want to believe that their friend, who risked so much for them and their team, Team Griffon, was suffering from a cruel disease that cost him practically his life --- his life in the Gear Fighting world. "And how could he have resigned from the Tobita Club? That's impossible! You wouldn't let him! You wouldn't let him…" His voice quivered, making his next question sound like a desperate plea. "You wouldn't let him, would you, Kyousuke?"

Mitsuke Ohmori only looked on in silence.

The other's initial reply was a faint whisper, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. "I couldn't stop him," he told them sadly, before he whirled around to expose his anguish-filled face. "I couldn't stop him, do you hear me?! I tried, I _tried_ very hard, but all I could say was for them to give him time! Yes, time --- time to sulk in his depression and mourn over his loss! I wasn't able to do anything, not a thing to make a difference, and I didn't even notice that something was wrong in the first place! And I'm supposed to be his best friend! His_ best friend!_"

And he began to cry, losing control of his emotions as he fell on his knees, weakened not only in body but also in spirit. Kazuya wasn't able to take it anymore either, and without a word he turned around and sprinted off, leaving his companion in the dark working area of the Tobita Club's Gear Master. At that, Mitsuke took a step forward, taking a deep breath to stabilize himself. He was just as devastated as his two friends, yes, but he couldn't let his sensitivity get the best of him. Not when he could do something better than cry for Kuroudo. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Kyousuke," he advised in a soft, barely audible voice. "It's not your fault that it happened. Best friend or not, it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. It was meant to happen to Kuroudo, and as much as we dislike it---"

"We have to cope with it?" Kyousuke retorted in a bitter tone, his eyes still downcast. Then his head suddenly snapped up, his gaze landing on the Gear Fighter's figure that was a silhouette against the light that shone through the half-open door. "You don't understand, Mitsuke! You don't, you can't, and you'll _never_ understand! Nobody understands me, nobody does! Why, did you understand my purpose of putting that microchip inside the _Shooting Mirage_? Did you? You didn't! Even Kuroudo, my _best friend_, didn't! You, _all of you_, thought of me as a scheming cheat who wanted nothing but victory, who hungered nothing but success! You didn't understand me then; how could I expect you to understand me now?!"

The Gear Fighter couldn't say anything --- because the Gear Master was right.

The dagger of pain drove itself deeper into Armelle's heart as she watched her son go through another cycle of heart-wrenching tears and anguished cries from the slightly open door of his bedroom. Kuroudo was resting his head against the arm he had fixed on his study table --- muttering something to himself that he couldn't even hear --- his other hand clamped over one of picture frames that lost its ground, only its black backside visible. It was, the older Marume soon realized, the ornament that contained the photograph of him and his friends during the Asian Cup, and in it, all of them were grinning widely as if they had won the tournament themselves.

And Kuroudo didn't want to look at it anymore.

"Why?! Why _me_?! What have done deserve this?! What I do?!" the flaxen-haired young man asked in a loud yet muffled voice, and it pained Armelle even more. Hearing-impaired individuals, she was told, knew nothing of volume --- and the fact that her son was straining his voice that much and was speaking in incomplete sentences served as a reminder of his unfortunate condition. And it was something she hated to be reminded about. "Kouya… Jirou… Kaoru… Lilika… Kyousuke…" A longer pause. "You most especially, Kyousuke. I'm sorry. I only bring defeat. How can I win a battle without hearing? Sorry. I can't go back… can't go on."

Armelle had seen enough, had heard enough. Tears springing from her eyes abundantly like a fountain, she turned and walked away with a heavy heart, almost unable to contain the pain she was feeling inside. There was nothing she could do about the situation, just as there was nothing she could do to change her son's fate. She didn't have the power to turn back time. She didn't have the power to change things by just snapping her fingers. She didn't have the power to make him well again by just waving her hand.

__

Is this it? The price for the mistake I committed in the past? The price my son has to pay? But why him? Why not I? It was my mistake, not his! she thought angrily, stopping in her tracks and leaning against the cold concrete wall to support herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that somehow, the pain would go away, even if she knew that she was asking for the impossible. However, she found herself saying instead, "This is all your fault, Mamoru. This is entirely your fault."

---

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Author's Notes: I apologize for the delay, everyone; I've had so much homework to do and exams to study for. To make matters worse, we have pre-midterm exams next week. Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed! You're really inspiring! I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank my friend _Hareta_ for letting me know the names of the two other Griffon members, my sister Raine aka _Fire Princess_ for her suggestions with regards to the Takeshi/Lilika situation (even if there was none in this chapter), and my best friend _Lous_ for the French translations I will be using in the later chapters.

I would like to apologize, however, for any OOC-ness that you might have spotted --- as I mentioned before, I'm a newbie at writing Crush Gear Turbo fanfiction, so I might have a lot of mistakes. Please understand my situation. As for deaf people not being able to say sentences correctly (missing out words here and there), I got that through experience, as I have a former schoolmate who's deaf. She doesn't talk much, but she screams _really_ loud. After all, she doesn't have to worry about hurting her ears. *grins* Anyway, please review and keep the suggestions coming!


	8. Tough Start

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Chapter Seven: Tough Start

__

Ding dong!

"Good morning, Madam Marume," a young woman greeted as soon as the door was opened, anxiety and nervousness evident in her youthful features. She was somewhat short and small for her age, but she had a charming, pear-shaped face and expressive black eyes that assured that she would grow up to be a beautiful woman. Fixing her elliptically shaped spectacles, she introduced herself in a soft but soothing voice, "I am Natsuuko Takate from the MIHI. Sir Takeshi Manganji sent me."

A wave of relief crossed the older woman's face as soon as she recognized who the newcomer was, her lips forming a warm, welcoming smile. "Please, do come in," she told Natsuuko, leading her inside towards the comfortable and luxurious-looking set of seats that appeared very new, the latter hesitated to sit on them. As soon as they were both seated --- something that Armelle didn't take very long to accomplish as the girl was forced to accept the invitation out of her respect towards her new boss --- the older of the two introduced herself formally and decided to get to the bottom of things. "Thank you so much for coming. I don't think I can handle things around here anymore. You see, my son had transformed into a complete stranger over the past few days, and I have no idea on how to deal with him anymore. I'd like to leave him to your care, if I may say so, Miss Takate."

"Natsuuko, ma'am. Please call me Natsuuko."

"Oh yes, Natsuuko dear," she quickly corrected, before pausing uncomfortably, a thought crossing her mind. She took a deep breath, eyeing the young interpreter with an uncertain look on her pale face, before she clasped her hands together and decided to bring the matter up, nonetheless. "Forgive me, but I would just like to ask… do you, by any chance, speak French?"

Fortunately for her, Natsuuko had seen the question coming --- in fact, even her superior at the MIHI as well as her boss at the MCO, Takeshi, had expected it right from the beginning. She averted her gaze from the floor to the older woman, not really knowing what to say or what to do. She didn't want to sport the image of a bossy know-it-all, yes, but she knew that she needed to provide some sort of impression towards the person she was now working for. _"Oui, madame,"_ she replied slowly with a slight nod, deciding that she should just go ahead and prove her point, so as not to humiliate herself, and most especially not to humiliate the person who sent her. Her accent was not very good, but it was still impressive, nonetheless. _"Mon mère adoptive avait l'habitude de travailler en France, et elle m'a enseigné la langue."_

It seemed as though the expectant expression on Armelle's face would remain until the day would be over, but it didn't take long for her lips to part into a satisfied smile as soon as she heard the young interpreter's words. _"Non mauvais, Mademoiselle Takate,"_ she praised, obviously impressed. She then stood up and extended her hand for the girl to take, in a gesture that indicated that their real jobs --- and their partnership --- was about to begin. She only hoped things wouldn't become too complicated, most especially for the newcomer who could be mistaken for a mere schoolgirl if not observed closely. "Come, I'll introduce you to my son."

"What are you looking at?!"

She flinched, caught off-guard, and when she lifted her gaze to get a better look at the owner of the voice, she found herself frozen in fear as her eyes were met with blue-green ones as frigid as ice. She quickly looked away, unable to take the emotions that were flooding in her from that single moment. "N-nothing, sir, forgive me. I just…" she stammered in apology, clasping her hands together in hopes to stabilize herself, to stop herself from cowering in fright. The Kuroudo Marume she had seen and heard of was very different from the one she was facing now, and she suddenly didn't know what to do. His piercing eyes glowed with such indifference that it would only take a second for her to lose her composure if she would see them; his pale face radiated with such anger and frustration that she was afraid to look into his direction and have all those negative emotions thrown at her.

Her sentence left unfinished, Kuroudo's eyes narrowed even more. "Don't tell me that you understand what I'm going through," he retorted coldly, "because I've been told that over and over, and I'm sick, tired of it. I don't need anyone's sympathy, most especially not from stranger like you."

"Kuroudo-san, wait!" Natsuuko exclaimed, reaching out towards the former Gear Fighter who turned around and left the room, but her efforts were all in vain. As his figure disappeared into the area that was beyond her line of sight, the young woman sighed heavily, her head bowed and eyes downcast. In a whisper that could easily be carried off by the cool morning breeze, she asked, "Why me, Sir Manganji? I'm not the only one who can speak French… why did you choose me? What did you see in me? What can I do to help out? What can I do that no one else at the MIHI can't?"

An angry light glistening from her sapphire eyes, Midori reached out to her side table, grabbing a dart that lay among the messy pile of felt-tip pens and pencils. "Asian Cup Champions, huh?" she asked in a challenging tone, then she hurled the projectile in her hand towards the large poster on her bedroom wall --- a poster of the top three teams in the Asian Cup, with the Manganji Dream Team right in the middle --- and hit Takeshi right in the face. A sardonic smile accented with much satisfaction appeared on her tanned face at that. "We'll see how good you are. I swear, Takeshi Manganji, you're going down. You'll pay for humiliating me the way you did… and for destroying the one thing I value the most."

Her gaze landed on the blond Gear Fighter in a purple vest, and the mischievous expression on her face died down, her eyes narrowing drastically as it did so. "But I'll deal with you first, Marume," she whispered in a stubbornly determined tone, sitting up from her bed and clamping both her hands into fists. She glanced at her half-fixed Gear, the _Vacuum Vortex_, for a moment, then back at the image of the young man whose face had a few black dots. She had obviously used his picture for target practice a couple of times before. "I'm going to defeat you, one-on-one, no matter what it takes, and I'll prove to him that I'm better than you."

---

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Author's Notes: I'm so sorry for the delayed update, everyone, I've been caught up with exams and I couldn't breathe for a while back there. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this fic at all --- and my other fics, for that matter. Anyway, moving on with stuff regarding the story… MIHI stands for Manganji Institute for the Hearing-Impaired. And the translation for that short French conversation at the earlier part (A big thank you to Miss Lous for helping me out with the translation! *grins*) is as follows:

[Natsuuko] "Yes, ma'am. My foster mother used to work in France, and she taught me the language."  
[Armelle] "Not bad, Miss Takate."

That's it for now, minna! Thank you so much for your patience! =P 


	9. Unspoken Sorrows

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Chapter Eight: Unspoken Sorrows

Takeshi pursed his lips together as he went through the document one last time. He recommended the young woman himself, but the longer he stared at her file, the more his doubt grew. From his telephone conversation with Madam Marume just the night before, he found out that her son, Kuroudo, had become very hard to deal with --- would a girl a few months younger than him be able to do something to make things better? That was what caused the Gear Fighter's doubt, and as he pushed back a stray strand of black hair and lifted the stack of papers closer to his face, he let out a sigh.

Name: Takate, Natsuuko Y.  
ID Code: 97304-7195248  
Position: Interpreter, Junior Instructor  
Department: MIHI  
Branch: Tokyo  
Head: Rutaro, Keshiku O.

__

I've got to give her more credit, he told himself as his eyes rested on the information at the front page of the log, uneasiness clearly evident in his handsome features. He then leaned back against his reclining chair, weighing everything all over again but with little success. There was nobody else qualified for the job but her, and even the MIHI-Tokyo Department Head, Keshiku Rutaro, said that she was the best their department could offer with regards to Marume's case. Shaking his head, he told himself firmly, _No, I made the right choice_.

The door of his office suddenly slid open, and a radiant-looking young woman with light brown hair and gleaming green eyes stepped in rather hesitantly. Flashing a wry smile --- Takeshi could tell that she wasn't in a very good mood but was forced to put on a happy face as the situation apparently called for it --- she made her way towards the table and gently laid a folded piece of red garment on it. "Thank you for yesterday," Lilika said, indicating the jacket he had lent her. She paused, thinking of what to say next, then finally settled for a, "Don't worry, it won't happen again," while averting her gaze towards anything else but the other's face.

He didn't even smile in return, his reaction a combination of his arrogant tendencies and the fact that he actually didn't know how to react to the situation. Brown eyes fixed at her, he retorted, "If you don't have any other business here, Tobita, the door is wide open for you to leave."

Lilika's eyes flew wide open at that, surprised at how cold he was towards her, when in fact it was only the day before when he held her close as she cried in frustration and helplessness, when he lent her his jacket as she shivered from the cold. Her face a mask of indescribable emotions, she told him stiffly in reply, "Very well. Forgive me for the intrusion, Manganji." And then, after giving him one last hardened look, she turned around and walked away briskly, the door slamming shut as she did so.

He leaned back against his chair and sighed in defeat, the tranquility of the morning taking over like the sea breeze. _Just great, Takeshi,_ he scolded himself with a scowl, unable to believe that he did what he just did. _Now even Lilika thinks you're a jerk._

The next day was even worse for the Tobita Club --- for its key members, most especially; it was the day of the Marumes' departure for the United States. Despite all the encouraging words and all the affectionate gestures directed towards the blond Gear Fighter who would be undergoing surgery, Kuroudo barely said or did anything in return, except let out a slight nod that was his way of saying goodbye. He then picked up his luggage, turned around and walked away, his black-haired interpreter following him shortly after.

Unable to stand the idiocy of the situation any longer, Kyousuke sprinted on a dead run. "Kuroudo! Kuroudo, stop! Oh for crying out loud!" he yelled, running as fast as his legs would carry him. He ignored the people who spared a glance at his direction, wondering what was going on and what he was trying to do. Panting, he came to a halt in front of the other Gear Fighter, who was forced to stop on his tracks as well by the persistent young woman who was by his side. He could not help but notice, however, the glare Kuroudo was giving her for interfering in such a way, which eventually became directed to him. That did not stop the young Gear Master, however, from saying what he wanted to say. "I told them to give you time, but you're time's up now! So put yourself together and stop acting like a child!"

Kuroudo only snorted.

"Gear Master, please---"

"Don't tell me what to do, Takate, because I know very well what I'm doing here," he snapped in interruption, holding up his hand to stop her from saying anything more. He was aware of how emotionally fragile she was --- they had met and known each other back at the Manganji Laboratories at the short time he was there --- but he knew just as much that it wasn't the time for him to be tactful. There was someone he needed to knock some sense into. "Listen, Kuroudo… I know how painful all this is for you. But don't you ever forget that you're not the only one who's suffering! Do you think I'm happy with who you are now? I'd rather go back to the time when we didn't speak to each other than to see you like this!"

To their surprise, the flaxen-haired youth suddenly let out a laugh, which made confusion appear on the other's somber features. "_Listen_, you say, Kyousuke?" Kuroudo asked with a voice oozing with sarcasm, his sharp turquoise eyes gleaming with much sadness and anguish. He then shook his head and pointed at the shorter boy, saying, "No, _you_ listen. You're the one can hear, right? Oh, don't bother waste words on me. What's the point? Can't hear anyway. Plus, tired lip-reading, you talk too fast."

At that, he patted the Gear Master on the shoulder with an obviously fraudulent smile on his pale face, before he once again bent down to pick up his bags and proceeded to catch his flight. Natsuuko left in a hurry as well, barely able to say goodbye and assure that she would keep in touch, not wanting to be left behind as she had been given the order to stick by the blond Gear Fighter's side at all times.

"Kyousuke, you okay?" Kouya asked from behind the young genius, the other members of their team catching up with him.

The Gear Master's small form began to tremble, almost unnoticeable at first, but it eventually became as evident as the sobs that escaped him. "Kuroudo…" he whispered in a voice barely above a whisper, his hands clenched into fists at his sides that made him quiver even more, then he lifted his head to look at the passageway that his best friend disappeared into one last time. And without a word, he tore through the crowd that filled the airport's corridors, away from the onlookers, away from his comrades, away from his friends…

Away from Kuroudo.

---

****

Author's Notes: I noticed that it has become a habit for me to start my A/Ns with an apology, and I'm afraid that's what I have to say again. I'm so sorry for the delay; school's in the way, as usual. So anyway, just wanted to say in advance that this fic will have two endings --- yes, _two_ --- simply because I can't decide which one's better. That's all I can spoil for now though. Well, that's it for now; and of for those who haven't yet, please do find the time to check out _Memories of Another Day_ by Hareta. Trust me, it's really good! =P


	10. Disturbing Memories

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Chapter Nine: Disturbing Memories

"You two make a great team! I'm impressed!" Kouya told the Furu siblings, Shiawase and Nimuri, with a wink and a thumbs-up as he walked over to give his comments about their practice match that just came to an end. He put his _Garuda Phoenix_ away and tucked his hands casually inside the pockets of his jacket. "I like your defensive strategy, you know. But since we've only seen it work against one enemy Gear --- you don't mind trying that again with two opponents, do you? Jirou and I will take you on after Kyousuke and Midoris' battle. What do you say? You guys up to it?"

As the brother-sister tandem cheered in excited affirmation, the blue-eyed brunette sitting at one corner of the clubhouse rolled her eyes. Midori hated the fact that she had to share her parents with a sibling, and seeing the two other new members of the club made her remember how unfortunate she was. Her eyes narrowing drastically, she took out her Gear from her backpack and rose, heading casually to one side of the arena to wait for her battle to begin.

Her opponent, the renowned Japanese Gear Master Kyousuke, had just arrived and was setting up his _Dino Spartan_ at the other end of the arena. It was obvious, however, that he wasn't in the mood to take part in a Crush Gear battle, most especially against a rookie. At least, that was what Midori thought. Her assumption was eventually proven wrong, however, the moment they took their places, for she found him looking past her --- into empty space. "What's wrong, Gear Master?" she sneered, taking a step backward in preparation for her release, her right hand stretched out horizontally to hold the _Vacuum Vortex_ as far away from her as possible. "You don't seem to be in good shape. Been up all night in paranoia, in fear of being defeated?"

The jest didn't work. He only shifted to his initial stance.

"Second practice match, Midori Ichikawa VS Kyousuke Jin! One round, good for three minutes! Gear Fighters, set up!" Kaoru exclaimed, taking her post as referee. She glanced at the two to check if they were ready, before she lifted one arm and finished with a, "Ready, GO!"

With the fire of excitement burning in her eyes, Midori yelled "_Vacuum Vortex!_" and flung her Gear into the arena with much grace and flexibility that the black-hulled machine started spinning almost at once. What was a VT Chassis for, after all?

Kyousuke, on the other hand, did the same, but he released the _Dino Spartan _in a rather clumsy and rough manner that surprised the spectators greatly, as they expected better of him. His green-colored Gear almost toppled over at its impact with the arena's metal floor, and it barely recovered from the balance it lost when the _Vacuum Vortex_ came slamming into it. The _Dino Spartan_ was sent flying into the far end of the battle ground, but the force generated by the other Gear was fortunately not enough to push it out of the area. Immediately, the Gear Master's machine steadied itself, and in no time, it darted forward with a blinding flash, its VT Chassis sprinting into action.

__

Dash type settings? the female Gear Fighter thought with wide eyes as soon as she saw his Gear take hers in a head-on crash, completely surprised at what she had just witnessed. What Kyousuke just did was not something they thought --- she, most especially --- the Gear Master would do, considering the tactics he used in the past. _He needs to set the _Dino Spartan _to spin type if he's to use his special move, but why didn't he? What's he up to? What's he trying to pull off? What trap is waiting for me? What should I do now?_

But she soon found out that there was no need for her to think about the matter; a few seconds after the power-consuming game of tug-of-war began, both Gears were thrown off from their duel point. If the _Vacuum Vortex_ was lucky enough to land and get back up on its wheels, the _Dino Spartan _wasn't. It crashed down on the arena, weapons first, making Kaoru, who was watching the battle intently, cringe noticeably at the unpleasantness of the landing position; then it bounced once, twice, thrice… spun uncontrollably… hit a spin block…

"Winner! Midori Ichikawa!"

Armelle wiped off the sweat that trickled past the side of her face and sat down, leaning back against the soft pillows that were piled on top of the bed she would call her own for a few months or so. The apartment she managed to rent in the outskirts of Chicago was not as spacious as she hoped it would be, but she found herself having trouble fixing everything up, nonetheless. With her son doing nothing except sulk in his depression and their companion trying every possible way to cheer him up, she was the only one left to do the rest of the chores. And as much as she liked doing chores, it was not easy.

Even though she wanted to relax for the rest of the afternoon, she found herself unable to leave her unfinished tasks behind. Sighing, she pushed herself up and went on with what she left off, arranging the objects she brought with her on top of the shiny, brown-colored dresser. She reached out to pick up the bright-colored picture frame she had laid on the floor, but stopped abruptly when she realized that the glass covering had already been shattered into pieces. The pieces of broken glass weren't the only things that made her stop, however; an old-looking photograph of smaller size hidden underneath the image of her and Kuroudo made her freeze as well.

__

"… After all that I've done for you, after I've given up everything I ever had --- my wealth, my name, my family --- all you did in return was stand there and watch them tear our love apart! You never fought for me… you never even tried_!"_

She closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. There was nobody else to blame for her son's misfortune but her, after all, and that she knew with all of her heart. The photograph alone, the picture of a younger her and a handsome brunette posing happily at the base of the Eiffel Tower, was enough to remind her of the fatal mistake she committed in the past. If she had not been so foolish, then she would not have brought into the world an innocent soul who would have to pay the price of her sin.

Who _was _paying the price of her sin.

Putting back the mask she had to wear everytime she wanted to forget, even for but a moment, the past she left behind, she pulled the faded photograph from the frame and crumpled it as she clamped her right hand into a fist. She then stood up, pushed the large box aside, and headed for the door. She had to cook dinner.

---

****

Author's Notes: I'm so sorry for the delay; I had trouble with the battle scene. Yes, Gear fights are hard to write, most especially when your vocabulary is limited with regards to writing about things flying away or bumping into each other. Anyway, as you might already noticed I'm doing a bit of foreshadowing here on Madam Marume's part. And that means it won't be long before Kuroudo gets involved in the mess. *winks* So that's it for now, please review and tell me what you think of my work so far. I very much need all the help I can get. XD


	11. Painful Defeat

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Chapter Ten: Painful Defeat

"Gear Master, I _demand_ a rematch!"

The spectacled boy came to a halt at that; the brown-haired girl stalking him doing the same as well. Slowly, he turned around to address her, the expression on his dark ebony eyes shrouded by the pair of eyeglasses that reflected the blinding light of the midday sun. "What more do you want, Ichikawa?" Kyousuke asked sternly in return, an undeniable edge in his voice. "You defeated a Gear Master; isn't that satisfactory enough for you?"

Midori snorted, folding her arms in front of her chest in annoyance. "Don't play games with me, Jin! You know very well that I did _not_ defeat you! Even a four-year-old could've beaten you with the way you handled your Gear back there! A clumsy release, a routine course, a stupid head-on crash, dash type settings --- and you call yourself a high-class Gear Master? Give me a break!" she exclaimed hotly, her anger evident in the way her hands ended up at her sides, clamped into fists. "I don't want you to treat me like a beginner, because I certainly am not! I want you to battle me the way you would a veteran, and I will not leave you alone until you do that!"

To her surprise and aggravation, he laughed; his low, almost inaudible chuckles ending up in a hysterical fashion. He then cocked an eyebrow as he took a step forward to make his point clear. "You say you're a veteran yourself, then? Why don't we find out if that assumption of yours is correct or not?" He reached into his bag and pulled out his valued _Dino Spartan_, holding it out in front of her to indicate that he accepted her challenge. "But I'm warning you, Ichikawa. Arrogant people intimidate me. And when I get intimidated, I tend to do things that aren't pretty."

"That should make our match more interesting," she commented with a smirk, before she tilted her head to the side slightly to indicate the road at the eastern side of the street. Their chase, which began right after the conclusion of their practice match at the Tobita clubhouse, unknowingly brought them near the road that should be taken to reach her residence. Knowing that Kyousuke had no idea where their place of battle was located, she turned around and went on her way, walking briskly through the concrete-paved street lined with luxurious-looking houses and leading the young man to the Ichikawa's estate. The Gear Master, on the other hand, merely followed her lead.

The location of Midori's house --- _mansion_, rather --- came as quite a surprise to Kyousuke, for it was located in the far end of a vast green field surrounded by a large, intricately designed fence. It was a three-story, ivory white villa with a European structure, complete with a grand staircase that led to the east and west wings, and French windows with dark curtains the color of sapphires. Its interior, however, was surprisingly Orient-based, and the motif for the decorations was undeniably Japanese.

He didn't have the time to look around, however, for as soon as Midori finished greeting her mother who was relaxing in the garden, he was dragged towards her room --- a bedchamber spacious enough to accommodate a full-size Crush Gear arena at its front end. In fact, Kyousuke didn't have the time to think about what else the brunette had in her bedroom that seemed to stretch on and on, for she almost immediately urged him to get his _Dino Spartan _ready for their match.

"_Vacuum Vortex!_" she exclaimed as soon as the round indicator let out its sound, releasing the black-hulled machine into the expanse that she had mastered with all of her heart and mind. As it darted through the arena smoothly, confidence filled her to the brim. There was no way she was going to lose their showdown, with her Gear set to its most effective settings and with the battle taking place in her home base. Not even a microchip could map the arena's layout the way her own mind did.

"_Dino Spartan!_" he yelled from the opposite end, releasing the green-hued Gear to the arena in such a way that it started spinning almost immediately. He noticed the pleased grin on his opponent's tanned features; he, after all, was taking her seriously now, and that was what she wanted him to do. _Unfortunately, she won't be enjoying that privilege for long. Prepare to lose, Midori Ichikawa. I won't be sympathetic, _he thought with a knowing smile, watching his Gear chase hers around the wide breadth with an extremely relaxed face. Then, he saw an opening; it was time to start the scare. "Faster, _Dino Spartan! _Get her!"

His Gear smashed into its opponent with much force, and it sent the _Vacuum Vortex_ into an uncontrollable spinning trip to his side of the arena. Immediately, he ordered the _Dino Spartan_ to start its VT spin, in preparation for the series of attacks that would cripple the enemy Gear that was still trying to regain the balance it had lost, as well as for its special move.

"No! Fight, _Vacuum Vortex! _Fight!" Midori implored as the _Dino Spartan_ launched one attack after the other, sending her Gear spinning back and forth and hitting it at every point. She clenched her fists, terror filling her eyes. "I can't give up now, not now, because if I will…" Her voice trailed off as her eyelids fell shut, but a moment later, her fierce blue orbs snapped open, oozing with stubborn determination. "I'll never be able to defeat Takeshi Manganji! And I'll never be able to defeat Kuroudo Marume!"

Kyousuke froze, the name sweeping him and his consciousness away from the spot where he was standing, his memories of the events that took place in the days that past resurfacing like a tidal wave. Fortunately, he had already given the ultimatum that the _Dino Spartan_ charge for the _Vacuum Vortex_ with its special move, the Fire Spinner, and so despite the fact that his attention was totally someplace else at that time, his Gear carried out the order with an explosive assault.

Midori's efforts to save the _Vacuum Vortex_ were too late; it just wasn't fast enough, just wasn't strong enough, to pull out and away of the _Dino Spartan_'s line of attack. It skyrocketed just as its enemy Gear did, but the difference was, it landed out of the arena while the other remained on its course.

She stared at her Gear, which was struggling to get back up on its wheels as it had flipped over, with wide cerulean eyes filled with disbelief, unable to accept the fact that she had been defeated once again. Then, shortly after the _Vacuum Vortex_'s battery was drained, making it stop dead, she fell on her knees and screamed in utter frustration. The victorious Gear Master, on the other hand, was snapped out of his trance by her outcry, his dark eyes drawn towards her shivering form. She cried like a baby, her shoulders bobbing up and down uncontrollably as her tears fell like rain, and at the same time, she banged her fists on the floor, muttering something to herself which was most probably about how she could not believe she lost.

As Kyousuke watched her acts of self-pity and denial in silence, a certain blond Gear Fighter came into his mind.

__

Kuroudo…

---

****

Author's Notes: That was the chapter I promised to update to Hareta (Jirou) and Ice Suzaku (Kaoru). Hope you liked it, guys! Anyway, to the Kuroudo and Takeshi/Lilika fans out there, worry not; they will get back into action starting with the next chapter. Things are beginning to get very interesting, after all. =P

****

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	12. Pleasant Surprises

**Chapter Eleven: Pleasant Surprises**

The _Shooting Mirage, _damaged but as gallant-looking as ever, was atop Kuroudo's bedside table, untouched ever since the young Gear Fighter arrived along with his mother and his interpreter --- although _personal assistant_ was the more appropriate term, as Natsuuko did more than just translate words and sentences into hand and body gestures. But at that moment, she had her eyes fixed on the purple-colored Gear, eyes the hue of coal that reflected much sadness and sympathy. _Just as he was rising to the top, _she thought sadly, reaching out to run her fingers gingerly through the machine's hull, _he was forced back down by an uncontrollable twist of fate. Why does life have to be so cruel? Why does it have to be so unfair? Why does---_

"Don't touch that."

She flinched at his cold, bitter interjection, abruptly pulling her hand away from his most valuable possession, and turning around to apologize for her nosiness. It was a trait of hers that she definitely had to eliminate. "I-I'm sorry, Kuroudo-san. It won't happen again," she whispered in a voice barely above a whisper, her head bowed and her eyes downcast, afraid to lift them up and gaze at his handsome yet always-scowling face, and above all, afraid to look into his eyes that were as frigid and as piercing as ice. She had no idea why she feared to do such a simple act; all she knew was that the whole thing started when they first met, when her gaze first met his…

As he began to make his way forward, she stepped away from the spot she was standing on and allowed him to pass, her feet involuntarily pushing her away instead of her own free will. Before she could do any more, however, like leave the room and allow the other to once again sulk in his misery, his voice once again flooded into her ears, although this time, it was very much softer than it usually was. And it made her stop dead in her tracks, caught off-guard once again, but this time by the fact that he was talking to her --- and most especially because, surprisingly, he was _opening up _to her.

"I won first Gear Fight I participated in, in France seven years ago. Then and there I fell love with Gear Fighting, so much more when I was the winner and my friends ran to my side with happy faces. So I arrived in Japan, I immediately searched for other Gear Fighting enthusiasts, hoping to learn from and become skilled myself. I found solace in Team Griffon, in company of Mitsuke, Kazuya, and…"

His voice left him without warning, his emotions taking hold in turn, and it took Natsuuko a few more seconds to realize that he was already _crying_. She immediately panicked upon that realization, aware that she had never been good with words, aware that she would have to do something to comfort him very soon if he would not get a hold of himself, but just as his voice left him, her thoughts left her as he turned around and fixed his glassy Mediterranean blue eyes on her raven ones.

Kuroudo had wiped away most of the tears that had been shed, but there were a few droplets remained at the corners of his eyes, fragments of his anguished heart that were yet to be unleashed. "Tell me, _please_," he begged in a quivering voice, his melodiously pleading tone touching the innermost part of the young woman's soul, "what I do now? I know I did to Kyousuke was wrong. He was only trying help, but instead spoke harshly to him. I don't want this to continue anymore. I want nonsense to stop… but I don't know _how_."

After a brief period of silence and stillness that seemed to last for eternity, the young interpreter smiled and gestured towards the staircase that led to the apartment's living room. "My laptop's downstairs," she offered, her hands moving to the corresponding signals, before she held out her hand for him to take. "Shall we go?"

As soon as he finished rubbing his eyes in hopes to make the stinging pain disappear into thin air, Kyousuke refocused his gaze on the computer screen that had crisscrossing blue lines and a jumble of lines here and there. There was so much to do in so little time, that he knew, and he was determined to meet the deadline he had set upon himself, even if it would mean not sleeping for the third night in a row. Pausing only to briefly analyze the information that was posted on the upper right-hand corner of the monitor, he went back to his work, hammering away like the world was coming to an end and that he had to finish what he was doing before that would come.

An alert window then popped right in the middle of his project.

_Kyousuke Jin, you have **1** new email message(s)._

He reflexively glanced at the computer's clock, and wondered as soon as he had done so who would send him an email at that time of the night --- _day_, rather, as it was already past midnight. Unable to think of anything but the GFA, he concluded in silence that it was about the upcoming World Cup, which was in a few months' time. The genius Gear Master then went back to work on his project, a development he had been keeping a secret even to his teammates at the Tobita Club, ignoring the alert for the time being, as it wasn't very important for him.

However, he soon found himself compelled rather instinctively to check out what the message was all about, and so he minimized the window of the program he was using, clicking on _Internet Explorer _instead and logging into his email server. He typed in his username and password, clicked on the _Log In _tab, and waited for the page to load, tapping his fingers impatiently and nervously as he did so. He didn't understand why he felt so tense when in fact checking emails was an everyday thing to him; but when he saw from who it was and what it was all about, he instantly knew why.

And he felt like he was going to cry.****

---

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the delay of this chapter; the original version went down when my computer crashed. It was longer and better than this one, too. *shakes head* Anyway… Kuroudo might've seemed somewhat OOC in this chapter, but I strongly believe that he has a dramatic side of that kind that the series has yet to expand on. After all, he did break down in a slightly similar manner at the last scene of his supposed battle with Takeshi in the World Cup, so… *grins* Besides, this is my fic. If you don't agree with me, it's your problem. XD

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	13. Strange Occurrences

**Chapter Twelve: Strange Occurrences**   
  
  
  
He was on his bed, a plump white pillow plopped under his elbows, and a torn piece of notebook paper on top of it, alongside a pencil. With narrowed blue eyes, he read his composition all over again before replacing a few words and phrases to ones he thought would fit a lot better. He was hoping to add a little background music, either using his violin or his mother's piano, and thus transform the piece into a decent song. But his illness had crushed his hopes of doing so; unless the operation would do him a miracle, he would be stuck writing fragmented poems while mentally listening to what should've been the music to accompany them.   
  
Upon reaching the last stanza, he frowned. The two concluding lines didn't seem to go very well with the rest of piece, though he couldn't pinpoint why it felt such, so he crushed them out and thought of new ones to take their places and save himself the trouble of figuring out the reason of their apparent misplacement. When he ended up doing nothing about them --- except to stare --- after two minutes or so, he sighed, giving up. He rolled over and lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling absent-mindedly. He had gotten used to the silence, as well as the buzzing sound that would emerge, flowing and ebbing, once in a while, but still…   
  
The shifting of the door's shadow alerted him to the arrival of a visitor, whether that be his mother or his interpreter, and so he pushed himself up and shifted into a cross-legged sitting position, awaiting their entrance. Though not to his surprise, he found both of them entering the room cautiously, most probably thinking he was still asleep.   
  
He allowed a smile. "_Bonjour_."   
  
Armelle looked as though she was about to cry, but he couldn't blame her for feeling so happy about doing something as simple as greeting someone 'good morning'. He knew how bad he had been acting towards them the past days, and though he still felt frustrated at his disability, having lost a very great portion of his gift, he had managed to control himself and avoid displacing his emotions at them --- or anyone else. It was nobody's fault, after all. Not his, not his mother's, not Natsuuko's, not Kyousuke's. If there was anyone to blame, it was that deity in the heavens who made all things happen, but isn't it said that He makes things happen for a reason?   
  
The black-haired girl, his interpreter and personal aide, was quick to recover from the surprise greeting. "Good morning," she replied, smiling shyly. Despite what had transpired between them the other day, she still remained bashful and, well, _scared_, of him. She glanced at the blonde-haired woman, seemingly asking for permission, then resumed speaking, using her hands as well. She didn't know how good he was at lip reading already, so she didn't want to take chances. Not that she underestimated him, of course; she just didn't want him to think she was being so irresponsible, presuming things and not confirming their accuracy. "Someone's here to see you. Would you like him to come in, or would you like to meet him yourself? He's right outside the door."   
  
A couple of names flashed in his mind, yet he hoped it was his best friend. Emailing him was a good thing to do, but still, he wanted to apologize to him in person, even though he wasn't sure if he would have the guts when that opportunity would arrive. He told her that he wanted whoever that person was to walk into the door, and so Natsuuko obeyed, as always, relaying the news to his guest. He couldn't hear her, but he understood very well, from the look in the women's eyes, that this person was someone important in his life.   
  
It made him think even more that it _was_ Kyousuke.   
  
Practically holding his breath, he watched and waited for whoever the mysterious person was to enter the room he had considered his sleeping quarters for the past days. A few heartbeats later, a black-haired man, smiling at him warmly, walked in. He was tall, quite muscular, and had a visible scar on the left side of his tanned face. He was disappointed that it wasn't Kyousuke, yet it quickly disappeared as he recognized who it was.   
  
"Hello, Kuroudo," the stranger greeted. Well, he didn't remain a stranger for long. The moment their gazes met, the blonde former Gear Fighter immediately registered his identity into his brain, as well as into his heart.   
  
Kuroudo couldn't resist, couldn't stand keeping his emotions to himself any longer. He knew he was going to explode if he was going to continue what he was doing. Like an excited little kid, he practically jumped out of his bed and rushed to the newcomer, quickly enveloping him in a hug. Only one word escaped his lips: "Dad."   
  
  
  
  
  
Lilika was already half-asleep when her telephone rang. Groaning, she fumbled for the handset carelessly, and answered the call after half a dozen rings, sinking back into her pillows as the darkness surrounded her. "Oh it's you," she said after hearing the caller's greeting, in a slightly cold tone lined with lack of interest. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if to lock up her annoyance inside of her, before asking, "What do you want?"   
  
_"I just want to apologize."_   
  
She snorted. "Go on."   
  
_"Look, I… I'm sorry, okay?"_   
  
She sat up, not wanting to fall asleep while he would explain himself, then turned her lampshade on. She allowed her eyes to gaze at the photograph that was situated just beside the telephone, which was of her and her old friends at the Tobita Club, including the arrogant young brat who was at the other end of the line. She shook her head, then leaned back against her pillows once more, this time turning sideways to face the light --- and the picture.   
  
It was going to be a long talk.   
  
  
  
  
  
"The Marines? Wow!"   
  
"Hard labor, actually," Hideaki said, stretching and leaning back against the couch. It had been a long time ever since he had spent time with his family, as his job almost always kept him away from them, but he was thankful that he was allowed to visit them even for a few days. Kuroudo was about to undergo a life-changing operation, be it a success or not, and he wanted to be there for him, as he was supposed to. He then continued, "Training's tough. So if I were you, Kuroudo, stay in school and take up something that'll keep you in an office, where it's air-conditioned and all you have to do is affix your signature on papers here and there."   
  
"Hideaki," Armelle interrupted in a loving tone, turning her head to the side slightly to regard her husband. She then let out a teasing smile. "He's got _my_ sword fighting skills. I doubt that'll land him in a clerical job."   
  
Natsuuko was surprised to hear that it was Armelle who was skilled with a sword; she had expected Kuroudo to have taken it after his father. As she listened to the ongoing conversation between Kuroudo's parents with much interest, she felt a deep sense of gladness for her friend, as she knew things had finally begun to go his way. She could not help but sense, however, that there was just a little something wrong with the picture, though she couldn't pinpoint what that something was.  
  
She pushed the thought away, forcing a smile to conceal whatever she was thinking of. She didn't want to worry anyone with such silly hunches. _Maybe it's just because I feel out of place, being the only one who's not part of their family_, she told herself before turning her attention back to the tête-à-tête that was taking place.   
  
  
  
  
  
---   
  
**Author's Notes:** Well, after a long absence, I'm finally back with an update for this fic. Sorry for my disappearing act, I just couldn't seem to find the inspiration to continue. Anyway, I would like to thank my 'daughter' Maki, a.k.a. FiendisHSerapH, for annoying me to update this, because I finally was able to. And to those who have been reading and have reviewed this, thank you. Your support means a lot to me.   
  
Review, please? ^^ 


	14. Contagious Depression

**Chapter Thirteen: Contagious Depression**   
  
The Tobita Clubhouse that day was closed for the rest of the members, except for the World Cup participants, as they needed ample time to train for the said international competition. Since Kouya and Jirou were the only ones who showed up, their loud-mouthed, always fiery team manager, Kaoru, forced them into a match. Not that playing against each other was a problem; it was just that they weren't exactly in high spirits. Shortly after Kuroudo's departure for the United States, Kyousuke did his own disappearing act as well, and they hadn't heard from him ever since, no matter how hard they tried to contact him.  
  
And the World Cup was supposed to start off as a team competition.  
  
"I'm tired," Kouya whined, squatting down on his side of the arena, uncaring if there was still a battle going on. He watched _Garuda Phoenix_ play another circuit of tag with Jirou's _Racing Bull_ --- his new Gear was yet to be completed --- for a few more seconds before he caught his teammate's gaze and silently pleaded that they stop.  
  
It was definitely a bad idea, and it was too late when the captain of the Tobita Club realized that. It didn't take a minute for a brunette to come up from behind him and snap in her almighty voice, "This is no time to kid around, Kouya! The World Cup is only a few days away, and you haven't taken your training seriously! All you've been doing is sulk in your misery, neglecting the more important matters at hand! Do you think Kuroudo would want you to act this way? I don't think so!"  
  
He got up to his feet and spun around to meet her challenge, russet eyes meeting indigo. "Oh yeah?" He felt something warm creep up to his cheeks --- was it his anger? The tone of his voice undeniably betrayed the emotions he had tried to lock up inside of him, and his words so much more. "Who started all this sulking anyway? Definitely not me! If there's anyone to blame here, it's him! If he didn't want us to act this way, then he wouldn't have acted so miserable in the first place! If he didn't want us to act this way, he would've left us not with a scowl, but with a smile and the hope that everything will be fine! But no, his grand exit was that of bitterness! Do you expect us to go around whistling a happy tune after that?"  
  
"But Kouya, you have a responsibility---"  
  
"Kyousuke's not the only one who has the right to feel depressed! Sure, he's the best friend, but we're Kuroudo's soulmates, too! Didn't you ever think of that? Or have you been too caught up with your fancy thoughts of grandeur at one of us bagging the title of World Cup Champion?"

"_Enough_," Jirou interrupted at the nick of time, stepping in between the two to prevent them from strangling each other. He looked weary, but not hopeless. In fact, there was a certain gleam in his eyes that reflected the hope he held for the future despite the sadness that seemed to dominate his features. "This isn't the time to fight. If we keep up with this, the Tobita Club will fall apart before we can even get to Australia to compete. We're all depressed, okay? Let's keep it at that. Don't rub it in any more than you have to." He looked at Kouya. "If you don't want to train anymore, it's fine with me. I care but I'm not pushing you to do it. Just remember, Takeshi isn't a tad bit affected by all this."  
  
Those words seemed to touch a few sensitive strings inside the young captain's being. Since he was unable to whisk away his sadness, he just used it to fuel his fighting spirit and determination instead, along with the anger and resentment he felt towards his greatest rival. He cast a glance at _Garuda Phoenix_, then met Jirou's challenging gaze. "Bring it on."  
  
Suddenly, a humorless laugh erupted from within the room, and they all turned around to see their Gear Master enter the premises, after how many days of absence. Kaoru was about to go on a scolding spree, just as she would always do whenever one of them would arrive late or skip practice, but Jirou pulled her back before she could do anything that would further tip the balance of their emotions towards the sinking point.  
  
"_'We're all depressed.'_ That's nice. And perhaps the understatement of the year."  
  
"Glad you could join us, Kyousuke," he greeted mildly, carefully stepping down from the arena to meet the raven-haired mechanical genius. The other two soon joined him, positioning themselves at his sides. He allowed himself to project a soft smile, his brown eyes observing the smaller boy from a safe zone. "_Garuda Phoenix_ needs a little tuning-up."  
  
"Hey! Don't use my Gear as an excuse!" He then walked towards the Gear Master, stepping up in front of the former baseball player. "Don't listen to him, Kyousuke. He's just trying to calm us all down by settling on such ridiculous topics. It's his Gear that needs tuning-up, not mine. _Garuda Phoenix_ is in perfect condition, and I'm readier than I'll ever be to defeat Takeshi once and for all! He stands no chance against my superior Gear!"  
  
Kyousuke let out an exasperated sigh before he went over to the nearby table and put his Gearbox on top of it. He then turned back to look at his teammates and said in a low yet audible and certain voice, "Don't be ridiculous. All of you. I know you don't want me to tune-up your Gear. You want to know if I bring any news of Kuroudo. And as a matter of fact, I do." He pulled out a folded yet slightly crumpled piece of paper from one of his jumper's pockets, held it out for any of them to take, and smiled lightly. The letter was still of the depressing kind, yes, but he knew Kuroudo far better than anyone else did, and he was able to tell that the blonde was a little bit more hopeful than he was the last time they talked.

-**x**-

_Hey, Kyousuke. Greetings from America.  
  
I'm sorry if I only had the time to write now. Shortly after we got here, I had to see a handful of doctors for my upcoming surgery. And, well, I was depressed. For that, I'm sorry. It was unreasonable of me to be so angry when you hadn't done anything wrong. I guess it's just the pain of having to give up something I really enjoy doing, and to once again fail the people who held a lot of hope in me. I honestly don't know what I'll be doing once this is all over. I'll offer no promises, because, right now, I'm standing at the losing end of the Gear Fighting world. My Gear's a wreck, my hearing's severely impaired, and my heart isn't in the game anymore. And to achieve victory for myself may just be to ultimately fail the Tobita Club, to fail you. I'll be a victor if I play despite my illness, but the price you would have to pay would be defeat.  
  
Please, don't lecture me about winning and losing. I'm not asking for it, but rather, for your forgiveness. You're my best friend and I need you. Now more than ever. Also, please send my regards to everyone, and tell them not to worry about me. I'll be fine… I hope.  
  
Kuroudo_   
  
---  
  
**Author's Notes:** A little bit more hopeful, ne? Well, perhaps I just made Kyousuke a bit more optimistic than I hoped he would be… anyway! Sorry for the delay of this update, I've been struggling to write the rest of the chapters before my inspiration runs out. And yes, I've finally decided as to how to end this story. There will be a sequel, but I'll only be writing it if I would be asked to. Oh, and one more thing. I'm using the manga ages here. That means Kuroudo and Kyousuke are 16, Kouya and Kaoru are 15, Jirou and Takeshi are 17, and Lilika's 19. Got any questions? Ask away.  
  
PS. Forgive me for failing to answer you question the last time, Yukitsu; I forgot to check the reviews while making my notes. Well anyway, Midori doesn't really have a big part in Kuroudo's life, but I needed a filler chapter. I couldn't bring myself to write two successive Kuroudo-centric chapters for some reason, that's why I had one of Kyousuke and her instead. If you're worried about her turning into a Mary Sue, I tell you that I'm doing my best to keep her character at a believable level. I certainly don't want to have a Mary Sue lurking around my story, after all.  
  
Review, minna? ::puppy eyes::


	15. Bittersweet Past

**Chapter Fourteen: Bittersweet Past**

Being her only son, Armelle could not help but gush over Kuroudo before he was sent off into the operating room for his surgery. In fact, from the way their goodbye went, it was as if she was the one who was going to get operated, when it was the other way around. The blonde-haired young man ended up assuring her that everything would be fine, and that there was nothing to worry about, when that was supposed to be _her_ job. It was funny, that she knew, but she was well aware that she just couldn't stop herself from going emotional when it came to her son. He was the only one she had, after all.

Hideaki, on the other hand, had merely ruffled the boy's hair and assured him of his prayers. It wasn't because he wasn't emotional, it was simply because he had faith that Kuroudo will pull through the operation successfully. Having been trapped in the midst of war countless number of times, he had realized that faith, accompanied with prayer, can be one's most lethal weapon especially in times of strife. And as for the boy's interpreter, who had expressed her fear of needles as they both took a peek inside the operating room earlier that day, she had only smiled, carefully to stay away from the family's zone as she didn't belong there.

"I know just what'll make you feel better," the only man in the group of three suddenly voiced out, looking at Natsuuko with a knowing smile. He then stood up and nodded, motioning the girl to do the same and follow him. As the raven-haired young woman obeyed, he turned to address his wife, who sat on the bench as still as a concrete post, her nervousness still intact. "Armelle? If you don't mind…"

It took a few moments for her to realize she was being hailed. "Oh. Oh, sure. Go ahead. I'll just be here." She then added as an afterthought, knowing what her husband meant by making the girl feel better, "Just don't drown her. I actually hadn't given her anything aside from milk."

He laughed. "You worry too much. Don't worry. I'll take care of her," he assured, before winking at her. Afterwards, he led the Natsuuko towards the hospital's cafeteria, continuously blabbing as he did so. "I don't believe in caffeine intolerance. Lactose, maybe, but caffeine? I mean, I've had coffee all my life, and I haven't gotten sick from drinking it. Cappuccino's really good, I think I'll let you have a shot on that. Or would you prefer something, well, kiddy? Like iced mocha or iced coffee?"

Armelle allowed a smile. She had always been fond of Hideaki, and not only because he was a man of _many_ words. He knew how to treat the people around him well, and how to strike up a conversation that would make the person he's talking to smile. And with that thought, she silently wondered as to how he ended up with the Marines, knowing his disposition as a carefree, happy-go-lucky man. _Maybe he's wearing a mask, too, _she concluded, leaning back against the bench and closing her sapphire orbs for a moment. _A mask to hide his true feelings. A mask for him to be what he isn't. Just like... me._

She must've drifted off for the next scene that unfolded in front of her eyes was that of a man and a nurse bumping into each other. The nurse was too much in a hurry that she didn't even bother to do anything else aside from apologize to the stranger; she immediately sprinted into a half-run and disappeared around a corner at the far end of the corridor. With the man left to pick up the documents that had fallen from his briefcase --- she then knew he was a business --- she got up from her seat and decided to lend a helping hand then and there.

The man only realized that someone was helping him when they reached out for the same stack of stapled papers, and pulled back in reflex at the same time. "No, please. Allow me," he told her, laughing lightly at the rather coincidental moment as he reached out to pick the documents up. That last task done, he got back up to his feet and straightened up, and she did the same. "Thank you very much, Miss---" He was halfway through extending his hand when he recognized just who the beautiful young woman was. His coffee brown eyes widened in realization, and all he could do after that brief eye-to-eye contact was ask breathlessly, in disbelief, "_Francine?_"

She recognized him, too, and she felt her heart telling her to leave, to run away, as soon as possible. But before she could take the step that would swing her out of his sight, she allowed her mind to take control. And there, she decided that she wasn't going to run away. She'd had enough of it. Coldly, with her chin held up high in an arrogant fashion, she greeted stiffly, "Hello, Mamoru."

He didn't change much, that she noticed. He was still the handsome brunette she had shared a great part of her life with, with the same breathtaking orbs of light brown, only that he was a lot older --- and seemingly more problematic --- than when she last saw him. But while he hadn't changed on the outside, she was sure that he wasn't the Mamoru she had come know back then anymore. He married the wealthiest slut in Kanazawa, after all; having done that, he had both the money and the means to throw around. Ex-girlfriends were definitely out of his worry list.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, putting his hand away and going back to fixing his briefcase, hoping to make it appear as though he wasn't bothered by the fact that he had just crossed paths with an old flame. He knew she didn't want to shake his hand, not even in a million years. "Is it true that---"

Her fierce blue-hued eyes, ablaze with anger that had been especially reserved for him, were fixed at his still form, glaring. "It's none of your business." An uncomfortable spell of silence passed, and she took that as a sign that there was nothing left for them to talk about. At that, she briskly turned around to catch up with Hideaki and Natsuuko, when she felt him grab her arm. Seething, she reverted her gaze to him and ordered sternly, "Let me go."

For a second, reluctance and uncertainty flashed within the corners of his eyes, but they disappeared soon after and were replaced by determination. "No," he said, doing his best not to hurt her while keeping her within his hold. "I won't let you go. Not until you listen for what I have to say. I've waited for _sixteen years_, Francine. I'm not going to let you disappear from my life again without you knowing the truth."

"The truth? I already know the truth. You left me at the altar---"

Another man's voice. "Armelle?"

Mamoru immediately released his hold on her, and as much as he wanted to reach out and pull her back, to tell her everything he had failed to tell her sixteen years in the past, he simply watched as she returned to the man who had just arrived into the scene with a dark-haired young lady. And that man, he knew, was the one who had replaced him in her heart, and there was no way he could possibly get her back. It was too late, too late for both of them.

_Francine Jean D'Vauqueline_, he thought sadly, looking on with envious chestnut-colored eyes as she disappeared from his life once more, her arm locked with another man's. Yes, it was too late for both of them, as there could be no turning back, but it wasn't too late for the truth. At that, he sighed. Y_ou were supposed to be mine._

---

**Author's Note:** Well, there goes another chapter. I'll upload the next one the next time I'm online. Ne, I'm really keeping you waiting, huh? ::smirks:: Anyway, thanks for sticking with me this far, and please do review so I'll know what you think about the turn of events, especially now that things are getting interesting... :p


	16. Brewing Dilemma

**Chapter Fifteen: Brewing Dilemma **

It was one of the noisiest days in the Tobita Clubhouse, as the World Cup participants had declared an open practice session. It was Kaoru's idea, actually; she had observed that whenever the key players were left on their own they would each sink into their pools of depression --- and she'd follow them there, too --- so it would be best to let everyone else practice and keep the fighting spirit high. And she achieved the effect she desired. Although they weren't up against very formidable foes, Kouya, Jirou and Kyousuke were definitely working on their Gear Fighting tactics and skills.

The Furu siblings were becoming better and better at the sport, and Lilika, the deputy owner, was glad that there were other Gear Fighters they could send out to tournaments aside from the four pioneers. Even Yukihiro and Shunsuki were beginning to show signs of improvement; their interest in the game itself started to overcome that of their interest to hear Kouya talk and brag about his accomplishments. One of the members Lilika was worried about, however, was Midori. She was a difficult girl to put up with, yes, with her bossy, know-it-all attitude, but it was very unusual for her to just stay at a corner and tinker with her Gear.

"You don't plan on giving up, do you?"

Midori looked up and found the Gear Master standing nearby, his eyes examining her Gear critically. "Give up?" she asked, not believing that the dark-haired genius would even think of such a notion. "You must be out of your mind to even think about it. There are only two kinds of people in this world, Jin. Those who keep on fighting, and those who give up. And I will keep on fighting. I might have lost to you, but someday, I'll turn the tables around and you will lose to me." She then added to herself, _And afterwards, I'll take care of Marume and Manganji._

He pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose and thought of the suggestion he was about to make. She was an amateur, yes, but she was determined. And she might just be able to show him how to get his determination back, as that was what he needed. He had the will to fight, but that alone wasn't enough. He not only needed to win a couple of Gear Fighting matches during the World Cup, he also needed to win the battle against Kuroudo and his faltering faith. At that, he held out _Dino Spartan_. "Want another rematch?"

"Are you kidding?" She rose up to meet his challenge, carefully taking _Vacuum Vortex_ from the table. "I'd like that."

-**x**-

Upon arriving at his house, Kyousuke directly went to his bedroom and flopped on his bed, exhausted at everything he did that day. He wasn't used to being at the Tobita Clubhouse from morning until afternoon and so he was stressed out, yet he admitted that, at some points during the day, depression released its hold on him and allowed him to have fun while training. While it was not a challenge to defeat Midori once more, he liked how fiery and passionate she was when it came to Gear Fighting. She was prideful, but although with reluctance she accepted the fact that he was more knowledgeable than she was.

_Kaoru and Midori in a Crush Gear arena would definitely be an amusingly frightening sight. So much more if they team up. Even Takeshi won't stand a chance, _he told himself, grinning mischievously at the thought. Though Midori was not as loud-mouthed as Kaoru, she certainly had the power of intimidation to use against the latter.

"Kiddo?" A voice called out from outside his room, and he groaned. Too tired to move, he stayed on his bed for a few more moments, but then his father began pounding on the door. Sighing, he pushed himself up, searched for his pair of slippers --- he even had to crawl under his bed to get the left one, thus taking up much more of his time --- and trudged towards the door, opening it wearily. As expected, he found his father smiling at him broadly, almost as if he hadn't been waiting for his reappearance.

"Yeah, what is it?"

The receiver of their cordless telephone was thrust into his hand. "For you. It's a long-distance _collect _call, so you might as well answer that now. You're paying for that." However, the serious look on the older Jin's face disappeared, and once again, the friendly demeanor leaked through. "Just kidding. But that really _is_ a long-distance call."

The Gear Master shut the door, blocking his view of his dad with that of the wooden piece of wood, and finally answered the call. He was actually excited, though he didn't want to show it. He knew that Kuroudo must've regained consciousness already, as his operation was supposed to be completed a couple of hours back, and so if someone was calling him from abroad, it had to be _him_. "Hello? Kyousuke here." A pause transpired as the person at the other end of the line answered, and then his face showed disappointment. "Oh, hi. You called. Not like you to." It was then when a feeling of dread settled at the pit of his stomach. It wasn't his best friend who called, but rather, the raven-haired interpreter who was with them. She usually relayed the news to him through email, and yet, this time she actually called. That could only mean… "Is something wrong?"

After hearing Natsuuko's response, he paled. "_What?!_"

---

**Author's Note:** Ne, gomen nasai minna for the delayed post; as usual, I've been quite busy. Anyway, I would like to thank everyone who has stuck with me so far, I really appreciate everything that you've done for me. As for the next chapter… let's just say that it's time for some more Kuroudo angst. Hehe. XD


	17. Flourishing Friendship

_Author's Notes: _Well, I guess it's about time that I haul all the chapters that have been sitting in my computer for quite sometime now and not keep you guys hanging as to how this story ends. Even though I don't really like how this fic has turned out - compared to my other more recent works, I mean - I'm still proud because this is the first CGT fic I've ever written. Yah-huh, I was so daring to pull off something like this. Anyway, here you go... the final six chapters. Enjoy (and review) please!

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Flourishing Friendship**

The sound that dominated the Marumes' apartment that day was silence. In fact, it was the sound that had been lurking in their temporary home ever since Kuroudo returned home from his first surgery --- which, unfortunately, turned out to be a failure, for the most part. The doctors couldn't explain how it could've happened, but the blonde young man remained unable to hear anything, despite the fact that the buzzing sound had considerably lessened. Not giving up on the situation, they proposed that he undergo a series of check-ups at another hospital, then perhaps undergo a second surgery. Hopefully, they would succeed by then.

What struck the family most was that the doctors made clear that it would take a _miracle_ for the second operation to actually succeed. Kuroudo didn't hear them say that, of course, as he was still unconscious during the time they broke the news, but his mother's unusual silence and more-than-frequent sobbing sprees were enough to let him know that his condition was severe. Although he tried not to let his illness take the best of him, he found himself sinking into the ocean of depression once more. The negative emotions he had managed to keep away at a considerable distance were beginning to latch themselves back into his heart: anger, resentment, frustration, hostility, sadness, hopelessness, and so much more.

It was definitely not good. All he had left was his fighting spirit, but even that was beginning to disintegrate. If he wouldn't have the willpower to keep on fighting, how, then, could a miracle possibly occur?

He wanted to shed tears, but he was well aware that it would do him no good. Besides, there was no need for another emotional wreck in the family. It was already hard having to put up with two women whose emotional levels were soaring above maximum. And that left him one last option; that is, to put on a mask. A mask to hide his true feelings. A mask for him to be what he isn't. A mask for him to appear brave and strong. A mask for him to appear hopeful and optimistic. Even if, deep inside, he wasn't.

The door of his room opened, and Natsuuko slid in, carefully balancing a package the size of a shoebox in her hands. He normally would send any intruder away, but she had been of so much help to him that he couldn't possibly treat her as a stranger. So instead of scowling at her, whatsoever, he pulled further back into his bed, clearing up a space for her to take, and motioned that she take her seat. He didn't smile, but the gesture was more than enough to let her know that she was already welcome to crash into his room.

"The mailman just dropped this off. It's for you," she said slowly, handing him the package gingerly. She then sat down on the space he offered, allowing the softness of the mattresses to comfort her as well. "It's from your best friend."

Wondering what it could possibly be, he quickly but carefully opened the parcel. It contained three things --- a letter, hurriedly written on a one-fourth piece of bond paper; a neatly and securely folded tracing paper; and another box, which seemed to contain a combination of plastic and metal things. He first took the letter, and to his surprise, what was scribbled on it was very short, definitely written in a rush.

It read: _For my best friend, the next World Cup Champion._

Kuroudo immediately knew what else was there. The tracing paper was the blueprint of his new Gear, and the box contained all the parts he would ever need. His best friend made it all, just for him. He felt tears coming to his eyes at the thought that, once again, the great Gear Master Kyousuke Jin sacrificed himself for his best friend's sake, yet with that came the harsh reality that it wasn't going to be of any use. No matter how hard he'd try, he would only bring defeat to the Tobita Club. He became a Gear Fighting prodigy because of his hearing, but that gift of his had been taken away from him. He was no champion; he was a sitting duck just waiting to be crushed.

"You're not thinking of not assembling that, are you?"

As if in response to her inquiry, which he most probably was unable to decode correctly as he had looked down at the package mid-sentence, he put the things he had been sent back together in the shoebox just like how they had been placed when he first opened it. Then, he took the parcel, shoved it under his bed to join the dust and debris, and looked back at his friend to inquire, "You were asking?"

Her surprise at what he did took quite a while to wear off. She never expected him to go around bouncing happily at what he received, of course, as it was, in a way, a painful reminder of a past he may not be able to cherish again, but to put it away just like that? She expected better from him, he who managed to recover from his bouts of depression when everyone else was still at it. "Your Gear," she answered, carefully choosing the words to use as she asked him about it yet again. "Aren't you going to assemble it?"

"There's no need. I'm not competing World Cup. I'm sending back to someone can use it," he told her nonchalantly with a wave of his hand in apparent dismissal. He then grabbed a book from the nearby table, turned on the desk lamp and leaned back against the comfortable pillows to read, ignoring --- _trying_ to ignore, that is --- his interpreter who only observed him in silence. Feeling her gaze upon him, he lifted the book higher to cover his face and therefore block his view of her. He couldn't kick her out of his room even if he wanted to, but he could make her do it by herself.

But she didn't want to leave without knocking some sense into his depression-infested mind. Not caring what he'd say or even do to her, she went up to him and abruptly grabbed the book he was reading. Blue eyes met black, and just when he was about to say something to rebuke her for what she did, she asked in an accusing tone, "Are you running away again?"

He glared in reply. "What if I am? I'm only trying be brave."

"By _running away?_"

"By running away so I won't be cause of defeat," the blonde stated with much firmness in his voice, before he seized the book from her grasp and resumed reading. He didn't know whether she would understand him or not, but it no longer mattered. He had made his side clear and explained his actions; it was up to her to empathize, if she had the heart to.

She was about to protest once more, but she couldn't find the words to rebuke him. It was because she understood what he meant. It wasn't the best decision, but for a perfectionist who cared so much about dignity and victory, the move made perfect sense. There was only one flaw. "But you can't run away forever," she continued, pulling the book away from his flaxen face as she stared into his expressive eyes of Mediterranean blue. "You know that. You'll have to face your demons one day."

He looked defeated, though he'd never admit it, of course. "What you want me to do?"

At that, she jumped out of his bed and fumbled for the package that he had hidden underneath it. When she finally pulled the parcel his best friend sent him and placed it back in front of him, she sat back down and advised with a soft smile, "Be prepared."


	18. Heartwarming Confession

**Chapter Seventeen: Heartwarming Confession**

Lilika didn't know what compelled her to go to the Tobita Clubhouse early that day, but she did, arriving almost an hour before the place was supposed to be open for the members to hold their practices. Quietly, she slipped into her office to take care of whatever Kaoru had failed to do with regards to the upcoming World Cup, yet there seemed to be nothing for her to do anymore. Even the room itself had already been cleaned up.

At that, she decided to leave the premises for a while and have her breakfast, as she hadn't taken a single bite. But not without stopping in front of Yuhya's poster. She stared at the image of her deceased boyfriend intently, once more reminded that she would never be free to love another. To fall into the arms of another man would be to break the promise she made to the man who died as hers. People may consider her stupid to hold on to such a promise for such a long time, but she just couldn't find the will to break it. She was cursed, and that was her fate.

Suddenly, the spell of silence crashed and a man's voice interrupted, "I have a confession to make."

The voice, familiar yet strange at the same time, startled her. Quickly, she spun around, and found the intruder to be a good-looking young man in a red jacket. Her mind spun, as to how he could possibly have entered the Clubhouse, when she remembered that he was once part of the Tobita Club. Of course he had a key. She then sighed in relief, but could not help but exclaim, "Takeshi, don't scare me like that again!"

He grinned softly, apologetically. "Sorry." He took a few steps forward until they were standing next to each other, and together, they gazed at the portrait of their fallen comrade. When he resumed speaking, his voice was distant, as if it had come from sometime in the past, perhaps four years back. "Just thought I'd come here to apologize in person for all the trouble I've caused you for the past four years… and counting." He took a deep breath. "Well, first off, I'm sorry for leaving the club just when you needed me. I'm sorry for treating your members badly. I'm sorry for trying to steal the secrets of _Garuda Eagle_. I'm sorry for deceiving Jin into joining my technicians in Hokkaido. I'm sorry for speaking to you harshly after you returned my jacket. I'm sorry for not coming here sooner to apologize to you."

"That's only a year's worth of trouble, Takeshi," she teased, cocking her head to the side slightly to gaze into his orbs of dark brown, the eyes she had secretly longed to look into intently and decipher the mysteries they held. They had been best of friends along with Yuhya, yes, but ever since their teammate's death, he had put on a mask that even she could not pull off. She held his gaze, wondering if he would even flinch at her words. "I thought you said _four years?_"

Slowly, he turned to face her, an indescribable look in his dark-hued eyes that did not match his apparently complacent demeanor. He looked… _pained_. "Lilika," he began faintly, and right after he mentioned her name, he couldn't bear to look at her. He averted his gaze to the floor, and only then did he resume his confession. "Everytime I look at you, I see a longing for a love that cannot be. And you're in pain because of _me_. He was going to break up with you the night before he died, but I stopped him. I accused him of being a coward, a coward running away from the woman he loved. He told me that he didn't want to leave you in tears, but I knew he really loved you, so I coerced him into saving your relationship. How should I have known that his departure was of the eternal kind? How should I have known that, for once, running away would've saved someone, would've saved _you?_"

"Takeshi…"

"I hope you'll be able to forgive me, Lilika. Because I'll never be able to forgive myself. I'll just keep on running away from the painful truth that I'm the cause of your misery." And he hung his head in silence, unable to continue, as much as he wanted to let her know that he did that not because he wanted to make her live a miserable life in payment for not returning his feelings, but because he loved her just as much as their other best friend did. But he was well aware that he will always be second best to Yuhya Marino, and so he decided to step out of their way instead. At least her joy in the arms of the man she loved would bring him joy as well, even if it came with pain.

She looked on, understanding washing over her. The greatest mystery in her life had just been revealed to her in layman's terms, and now what was left was for her to do something about it. Gently, she laid a hand on his shoulder, making him look back up at her, and as their gazes locked, she asked him in a whisper, "Will you let me run away with you?"

-**x**-

Sapphire eyes showing signs of drowsiness, Kuroudo allowed himself to lie down on the floor with his back against it, closing his eyes for a moment to draw upon what was left of his energy. When he reopened them, he saw Natsuuko hunching over at the foot of his bed, _Shooting Phantom_'s newly painted, almost completed hull lying just beside her head. Although he continued to deny it, he was glad to be back into the Gear Fighting business, despite the fact that he still wasn't sure how his second surgery would turn out. Assembling his new Gear, especially with a girl who knew nothing about the technical side of the sport, had been fun, not only because he missed tinkering with Gears, but also because he somehow saw Kyousuke in her.

Not wanting to bother her anymore --- and it was late, too --- he pushed himself up and began cleaning up the mess they made in his bedroom. The Gear Master's expertise certainly made things easier for them; they had only worked for a day yet they were almost done, after all. After putting the parts and the blueprint back in the box, he took his still-to-be completed Gear and placed it beside his _Shooting Mirage._ He looked at his prized possessions intently and allowed himself to smile. Yes, he wasn't sure about what was going to happen next, but he was prepared now.

He then went up to his friend and carefully hoisted her up into his bed. "Thank you, Natsuuko" he whispered before pulling up the covers to keep her warm for the night. At that, he took the other pillow as well as the spare blanket from his cot, and positioned himself on the floor. A night out of bed wasn't going to hurt.


	19. Unwanted Revelation

**Chapter Eighteen: Unwanted Revelation**

"Can I ask you something?"

Midori, in the middle of putting her things back into her Gearbox, averted her gaze to the spectacled Gear Master with a scowl. "Yeah, what is it?" When the boy was unable to voice out his question, she rolled her eyes and went back to what she was doing. Her mother had just called to remind her that she was to get home before dinner, and so she hurriedly packed, failing to realize that it was getting dark. As she was about to leave, she asked Kyousuke yet again, "Well? What is it?"

His dark-hued eyes continued to gaze at her intently, making her feel uncomfortable. Then, just when she was about to leave in her exasperation, he asked in a low yet audible voice, finally deciding to go straight to the point, "Why do you hate Kuroudo so much?"

"And you expect me to tell you, Jin? You're forgetting that you're his best friend," she retorted, folding her arms in front of her chest. Although she hated people who pried into her personal affairs, for some unexplainable reason she was more than eager to tell Kuroudo's best friend everything she hated about the blonde. But she was going to give him a difficult time in getting her answers, of course. She was an Ichikawa, after all; making people's lives miserable was a specialty.

"That's precisely why you're going to tell me," Kyousuke answered calmly, fixing his glasses as he did so. He then sat on the table, awaiting her answer. From the day they first met, he had noticed her hatred for Kuroudo, a hatred that was slowly becoming an obsession. Now that he had helped her, one way or another, it was time for her to return the favor. And there was only one thing she could give him in return for his assistance in making her a better Gear Fighter: answers.

She took the hint and sat beside him as well, her hands gripping the edge of the table for support at a possible emotional outburst. She then turned to look at him with dark blue eyes, once again dripping with the hatred he had long noticed. "I hate him because…"

-**x**-

He was waiting outside Dr. Berrette's clinic, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest coolly. He knew that Hideaki had gone back to work as his leave was over, and so there wasn't anyone who could stop him from telling her the truth. And so when she and her companions finished their goodbyes, he immediately straightened himself and prepared to meet them the moment they would step out of the door. He wasn't going to let her walk away without hearing his explanation, and he meant it this time.

The blonde-haired woman, as he expected, was startled to find him waiting for them. And she, too, knew that he wanted to talk to her, and so she sent her son and their other companion away. But he stopped her before she could finish relaying the order, looking at the two blondes intently. "You both have to hear me out. Please. Just this once, listen to me."

"Who are you?" Kuroudo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Armelle was at the verge of interrupting, but he couldn't allow her to thwart him now. He was so close, so close to declaring the truth. Putting both his hands on the young man's shoulders and kneeling down to address him --- he was a lot taller than they were --- he gazed into the younger blonde's pair of Mediterranean blue eyes that looked so much like his own. "You might not believe me," he took a deep breath in preparation for his confession, "but this is something you must know. My name is Mamoru Ichikawa."

-**x**-

"…he's my half-brother."

Kyousuke's eyes flew wide open, unable to believe what he had just been told. "What?!" he exclaimed, half-jumping down the table to examine Midori's features from head to foot. His sudden outburst caught the attention of his other comrades --- fortunately only the key players of the Tobita Club were left in the premises --- but he was too much in a state of shock to realize that. "No way! You, Kuroudo's _sister?!_"

Scowling, she corrected him, "_Half_-sister. We have the same father. And what's so wrong about that, you ask?" Both her hands were then clamped into fists, and she was trembling, her anger sputtering out of her control once more. "Simply because _I'm_ the legitimate child, and yet _he_, for goodness sake, gets all the attention!"

-**x**-

"My father. Yeah, right," Kuroudo muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I'm sorry disappoint you, sir, but I already have father. His name is Hideaki Jacques Marume, and I've known him all my life. Don't you think stupid to just barge into someone's life, telling him that you're father, when you haven't even met?"

From the corners of his eyes he saw Armelle's lips part into a smile, but he continued to keep his cool despite the way she was treating him. He knew he had hurt her, hurt her really bad, but back then it was the only option he had. He had to lie to her to save them, the two people who meant so much to him. "If I had been brave enough, we would've met. But I was a coward who just kept on running away for sixteen years. When I saw her the other day, it was only then when I realized that the time had come for me to face my demons. You have to believe me," he paused to capture the blonde's eyes with his own once more, "_Jean._"

The Gear Fighter froze. He hadn't exactly lip-read his sentences fully, as he spoke just a little too fast for him, but the thought of what he was trying to say was clear, and the last word he uttered so much more. "How… how did you know…" He turned to look at Armelle with bewildered eyes. "Mom? What… what the meaning of this?" Very few people actually knew that he had a second name, as it was more of a term of endearment than a name. In fact, aside from himself and his mother, only Kyousuke knew. But for a complete stranger to figure out that he had a second name and what it was _correctly_…

"Yes. Tell him, Francine. Tell him the meaning of this," Mamoru voiced out, seconding the motion. He then rose and captured the woman's eyes with his, seriousness dominating his Oriental features. He did not wish to see her so perplexed, so uncertain of what to do next, but he couldn't afford to waste any more of his time. Sixteen years had been more than enough. "You're speechless because you know I'm telling the truth."

"The truth you can _never_ brag about!" she retorted hotly, tears glistening within her eyes.

Those words were more than enough for Kuroudo. Paling considerably at the sudden revelation, he began to back away from the people around him… from his newfound friend… from his mother… from the stranger who claimed to be his father. "So it's true…" the flaxen-haired youth muttered in a voice heavily strained with disbelief, and before anyone could stop him, he turned around and ran away.


	20. Sharing Sorrows

**Chapter Nineteen: Sharing Sorrows**

She couldn't run as fast as he could, so when she finally arrived at the park, where she felt that he was going to find refuge in, she found him walking a short distance away, his pace considerably slowing. Then, when he thought nobody else could see him, he stopped by a large tree and finally allowed himself to be robbed of his strength, leaning back against the trunk wearily that he soon sunk to the ground.

As the rays of the morning light leaked through the thick canopy above him, illuminating his lonely form, she clearly saw even from where she was that tears were streaming down his face. He was in anguish, tormented by the revelation that the man he had come to know as his father was not who he believed him to be. He lifted his head, staring at the vast expanse looming over him for a moment; then, he squeezed his Mediterranean blue eyes shut, his lips moving as he composed a prayer addressed to the mighty power in the heavens. His tears continued to spill, like water trickling down the mountaintop, and the sight hit her with a force of unexpected intensity.

His mother though she was, she actually had never seen him cry; at least, not before the dreadful time when his illness struck him in full force. The absence of his tears made her believe that he was strong and in control of his sentiments, and the steely determination he had taken after her, which he so often displayed, made her forget that he was still a boy. But even boys cry, that she remembered now.

She took a step forward, but stopped before she could bring herself even closer to him. _No_, she told herself, shaking her head and reluctantly admitting defeat. He didn't need her, at least not that time. What he needed was time alone --- to cry out in woe, to release his sorrow, to face his pain. The fact that his father was someone else he didn't know wasn't the only issue he had to deal with; there was that of his deafness, too. The latter was even the graver problem, considering that it affected most, if not all, aspects of his life.

But there was something she could do, something she should've done before things became as complicated as they were now. And that was to confess. To confide to her son her painful past, even if it meant degrading her image in his eyes. After all, what happened then was her fault, and she, therefore, deserved to be punished for the mistakes she committed.

And though she continued to loathe Mamoru for his share of mistakes, she was glad to have heard the truth from him. She might have pretended that she didn't believe a word he said, but in reality, she held everything he professed in her heart, including his painfully ironic confession that he still loved her. She might have spat at his face that she no longer had the heart to love him the same way she did back then, but her longing to come into peaceful, friendly terms with him was still there. She couldn't help it, no matter how hard she tried to hate him for the rest of her life. And it was simply because he happened to be the father of the child she so treasured, and everytime she would look at Kuroudo, it would be his face she would first catch a glimpse of.

-**x**-

It was dark when Kuroudo returned to their apartment, and only then did he realize that he was hungry. Starving, even. He hadn't eaten anything at all the whole day. Despite the fact that he wanted to go to his bedroom and lock himself up until the day of his second operation, he decided otherwise, as body already began to protest wildly.

With heavy footsteps, he trudged towards the kitchen, hoping to help himself with at least a glass of milk to calm down his grumbling stomach. He didn't even know if it would help, or make the situation worse; all he knew was that it was going to be his ticket to a peaceful night's sleep. He didn't even bother to turn on the lights when he got there. He simply headed to the refrigerator, took out the milk carton and helped himself to a glass. Then, he began to make his way towards his bedroom, craving for nothing else but sleep.

He met Natsuuko on his way up the stairs; she was about to say something to him, which was most probably about how worried she and his mother had been, but quickly, if not immediately, decided against it. On the other hand, he merely acknowledged her with a curt nod, as he was definitely not in the mood to chat, especially not on the stairway. Plus, it was too dark for him to be able to read her lips and figure out whatever she had to tell him.

However, just as he had gone past her, he felt her grab his arm. Turning halfway to look at her, he scowled as soon as her face was in his line of sight, but as quickly as the expression appeared, it faded away just as fast. He was taken by surprise at what he saw. She, too, was pained, and there was a glint of sadness in her raven eyes, which disappeared as she shut them in apparent contemplation. "I'm sorry this had to happen to you," she said slowly. When their eyes met once more, the melancholy in her features had considerably lessened, but he could feel it radiating from her in full force. "You don't deserve this."

But her words stung his pride. "I don't need your sympathy," he retorted before he jerked his arm away from her grasp, turning his attention once more to the flight of stairs as he continued to make his way to the top. Upon reaching the topmost step, however, he allowed himself a second to look back at what he had left behind, and he saw her still at where she last stood, her head bowed and her bangs casting dark shadows upon her eyes. She was shaking, and when he found her gripping her eyeglasses with one hand and brushing the other against her face, he realized she was crying.

Slowly, he backtracked his steps, bringing himself closer to his sobbing friend. And when he was standing beside her at the same step, he gently turned her towards him, and, although reluctantly at first, brought his hand behind her head and pulled her close to him. He soon felt her tears drenching his shirt, but he did nothing to stop her from letting go of her sorrow. In fact, he felt that he might as well do so himself, and so with tears leaving his sapphire blue orbs, he just stayed there and held her.


	21. Heartbreaking Truth

**Chapter Twenty: Heartbreaking Truth**

_My name is Francine Jean D'Vauqueline, the youngest of three sisters, and by record, the most delinquent. My parents Henri and Camille kept me home schooled until my college years, and so when I finally entered the university, I did everything I ever wanted to do._

_Academically, I wasn't gifted, or perhaps I was merely uninterested. Fencing, however, was a different story. It was my passion, my life. Being a natural, I rose to fame almost immediately, following the footsteps of my older sisters Raissa and Leala, and success got into my head just as fast. I was only snapped back to the reality that nobody was bound to stay up forever when I fell second in a major tournament, second to him, Mamoru Ichikawa._

_I hated him. I hated how a foreign exchange student from the Orient bested me just like that. With the blood of my father running in my veins, I was bound to be the best swordswoman in the country, my sisters having given up the sport to focus on their lives' concerns. But as the cliché goes, the more you hate, the more you love. Rivals we were in the playing field, but outside it we forged a friendship that eventually rose to something much more. His conservative nature and passiveness, in contrast with my aggressiveness and outgoing attitude, made us the perfect pair._

_After graduation, my thoughts were of marriage. I loved the man too much to let him go, and because he felt the same, he decided to meet my parents and ask for their approval. But that night, I learned of my arranged marriage with the Baron's son, Andre, and so I confronted my parents. They explained that as their youngest and favorite child they wanted me to have a good future, and if I would marry Andre, my life would lack nothing. And for them, marrying Andre meant keeping their bloodline alive under a reputable name._

_But I couldn't accept their plans. I didn't care about bearing a title or being wealthy. I wanted to be with Mamoru and insisted upon it. We got into a heated argument, and that night, my father banished me, taking away not only my inheritance, but also my name. But in his arms, I found solace. He promised me a good life back in his own land, and so with nothing left, I agreed to leave France with him. For good._

_My first few days in the cursed country I've come to know as Japan were days of bliss. The exotic foreign realm and the close friends of his who kept us company brought nothing but happiness in my heart. As we toured the place, he showed me the estate he had managed to acquire at the outskirts of Tokyo, proudly saying that he used up all of his wealth – which wasn't very much – just so I could have it. The house, which was still under construction, was a cross between our own homes. It was a luxurious European villa at the outside, with French windows to boot, and a simple yet sturdy-looking dojo in the inside._

_But being far away from home, without an elder to keep watch over my actions, brought dire consequences. Exactly five days after I arrived with the man of my dreams… I had you._

_He panicked when I told him of my discovery. He couldn't believe that he had lost control of himself, when he had always been so reserved, so conservative. But it had been done, and there was only one thing for us to do. To make our union official._

_But he never made it to the church. He left me waiting at the altar. When I went to see him in his apartment, still in my wedding gown, he told me that he couldn't marry me because his parents didn't want to admit a foreigner into their family, and that his only choice was to obey them. I was enraged. I gave up everything for him, but he didn't even fight for me._

_I immediately packed my bags. I was going back to France. But as I prepared for my departure, I hoped and prayed that he would show up at my apartment to take back what he said. It never happened. Instead, a stuck-up brunette dropped by and shoved a wedding invitation in my hands. She was Sumire, the only daughter of a wealthy businessman from Kanazawa, and the woman Mamoru was marrying._

_That day, I swore to myself that as long as I was alive, he would never be able to go near you. You were mine, and even though he was your father, I gave him no right over you. I returned to France as the prodigal daughter, yet my father was no longer there to welcome me back with love. He died a few days after I left. He had a heart attack. My mother blamed me for his death, and so she refused to take me back. On the other hand, Raissa, my eldest sister, was willing to take me in, but when she found out that I was pregnant, she went into a mad fit, and shortly after, disowned me. She was a nun._

_My other sister, Leala, was the one who took care of me. She ran a factory in Normandy, and so she gave me a job, aside from a small house she used to have as an apartment for rent. But I had to change my name and leave Francine Jean D'Vauqueline behind._

_The man you've known as your father, Hideaki Jacques Marume, was the foreman, and was one very interesting person. He had lived in France all his life, but his father was half-Japanese, half-French, while his mother was half-American, half-French. I thought he took care of me because my sister asked him to, but I soon realized that he didn't even know who I truly was, only that I was a lonely soon-to-be single mother. Before the news of myself having an illegitimate child would spread, he straightforwardly asked me to marry him. He assured that he would take care of you as if you were truly his son. He didn't ask me to love him, and that helped me accept his offer, even though the wounds that had been inflicted on my heart were still fresh._

_Jean… I'm sorry for keeping all this from you. I just wasn't sure when the right time was to tell you truth, and Hideaki didn't want me to rush it either. Hate me if you must, but don't hate Hideaki, and don't hate your father. He was reckless, yes, but so was I. So much more, in fact. And it wasn't true that his parents didn't want him to marry a foreigner. Sumire, who was his ex-girlfriend, found out about us, and she blackmailed him, threatening to kill us if he would not marry her. That was the truth he had wanted to confess, the truth that kept him – and me – a prisoner for sixteen years._

_Hate me if you must, my son. But never forget that I, your mother, have always and will always love you._

_Armelle Labeau Marume_


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

You can be a Gear Master with the world's best technique, but you'll never build a perfect Gear unless you know the Gear Fighter.

Kyousuke allowed Alex's words to resonate inside his head as he stepped up to participate in their club's going-away ceremony. Aside from their delegation, Shingo and Fuuko Nagidori were also there to see them off, as well as their two so-called campaign managers, the spectacled Yukihiro and the plump Shunsuki. The two continued to recite the cheer they had composed to encourage the players in the World Cup, which consisted of the words _'fight'_ and _'Tobita Club'_ that they repeated over and over until the chant ended with a, "Yeah!"

They clapped, and so he did he, just so he wouldn't spoil everyone else's happy mood. Despite the fact that they hadn't heard anything from their fourth Gear Fighter in the last few days, and that the news they received before that was not very joy-causing, they were all unusually cheerful, probably because they were on their way to another country to compete in an international tournament. He, for one, was excited, because he had never been out of the country before, and… well, though he hated to admit it, he wanted to see the Chinese technician Lan Fang again.

"We really made it, you guys," Kouya, their captain, told them before he turned to face the other club members. He was grinning, but the Gear Master still saw the sadness in his eyes. After all, they still weren't sure if Kuroudo would be going to the World Cup to participate in the event with them, or if they would have to make do with one of their appointed substitutes. "Thanks for coming to see us off. It's really nice."

"We're really happy for you!" Shunsuki pitched in.

"We have some news to tell you, too. Mr. Shingo is going to be our coach while you're in Australia, and we're very happy to have another great teacher while you guys are gone," Yukihiro recited rather nervously, sparing a glance at the eldest Gear Fighter once in a while, then continued on as if what he was saying was a memorized speech. "But you guys don't have to worry about us."

Shingo stepped forward and caught each of the player's gazes with his own. "Just do your best in every single match. No matter what happens, I want you to remember not to give up." He then smiled, as Kouya enthusiastically replied with an affirmative.

From behind him, his younger sister Fuuko crept out, handing the Tobita Club captain what appeared to be a card with a monkey's face. The brunette recognized it in an instant; it was Q, their father's Gear Fighting monkey. "This…" she began shyly as Kouya took the card, "…is a lucky charm for you. Please try your best Kouya. While I'll do my best here, as acting manager."

"So now Fuuko's gonna be the Tobita Club manager?" Kouya asked with a wide grin. It was a bad choice for a statement, but what he said next came out almost involuntarily, seemingly out of reflex. "Does this mean that you're going to Australia with us instead of Kaoru?"

And indeed, it was a wrong move. He suddenly felt something hit him hard on the head, and before seeing the seething image of their brown-haired, indigo-eyed team manager, he swore he had seen a handful of stars and two to three birds circling around his head. He had barely recovered when Kaoru exclaimed in her always bossy and authoritative tone, "Dream on, little man!"

They laughed, knowing how often Kaoru would lose her temper and how Kouya always managed to make her lose it, but in no time, their laughter died down, and silence sunk in. And it was of the uncomfortable kind, too. Kyousuke knew almost immediately what they were thinking of, of course; rather, _who_ they were thinking of. They were most probably worried about him, as he hadn't sent them word lately, and the last time he did was before the commencement of his second operation more than a week ago. His companions didn't tell them anything, either, even though they practically bombarded them with tons of emails. And while it was strange…

"Why don't we show them our new Gears before we go off to Australia, Kyousuke? It would be a treat to see them up close," Jirou suggested, interrupting his train of thoughts. He was looking at the Gear Master with a knowing smile, his new red-hued machine held with one hand.

The spectacled boy nodded absent-mindedly before he took out his Gear from its container and proceeded to one end of the arena. Jirou followed, and in no time, Kouya did, too. He may not have a new Gear, but he definitely didn't want to get left behind. "I'll start things off," he declared before anyone could protest, and soon after, he fell into his release stance, his right arm stretching behind him. Then, using just the right force, he thrust his Gear forward, it landing inside the arena without trouble. "I call it _Dino Phalanx_. The front weapon is a tri-spinner. It's an upgraded spin saw with a tornado spinner."

Jirou wasn't about to let his Gear be overshadowed. "And now it's my turn. This is for you, Alex," he muttered, before he released his new Gear into the arena, it looking as red as ever, but now a lot stronger and deadlier. "Meet _Raging Bullet_. I changed the front weapon, and it's now ten times better than its predecessor."

The silver-haired girl nodded. "It looks very powerful."

Her brother nodded as well, in agreement to her statement. He followed the Gear's movements with his eyes silently for a few moments, then he commented, "Alex never let anyone down." He flashed a grin at Jirou, then at Lilika, reminiscing the time when he and his teammates --- Yuhya, Takeshi and Alex --- were showing off their Gears to the rest of the members. "He's a true genius Gear Master, that's for sure."

"If you want a genius Gear Master, look no further than the guy standing next to Jirou."

Only Kyousuke did not turn to look at the owner of the voice, a voice which they haven't heard in a long time. By then the lens of his eyeglasses were flashing under the glaring light, and he was smirking, as if he had known what was coming. And in actuality, he did. With everyone else too shocked at the development, he then turned around to address the newcomer, ebony eyes meeting sapphire ones. He descended from his post until he was directly in front of the blonde, looking up at the latter with accusing eyes. "You're late."

"Sorry," the other apologized, smiling lightly at his best friend's manner of greeting. The young genius had never been fond of showing his sentimental side, and almost always preferred to hide under the mask of a cold-hearted, uncaring person. Fate, he realized, had been kind to them, as it allowed Kyousuke to welcome him back first before anyone else did, and for that he was glad. He was about to say something more when his teammates rushed towards him, ecstatic at his return. Soon, he found himself lost in their company, and he felt good. There was one slight problem, however. "Hey, hey, slow down… I'm not fast lip-reader yet, you know."

That statement caught everyone's attention, making them whatever they were doing and look at the blonde in shock, but it was Kaoru who had the quickest mouth. "What? You mean to say that you still can't---"

"I can. A _bit_. But I stick with lip-reading for now," Kuroudo interrupted her before she could say anything more. He then proceeded to explain, with Kyousuke's help --- he had told his best friend everything, from his discovery that his real father is Mamoru Ichikawa to his plans of returning during the Tobita Club's going-away party --- that the first operation cleared his hearing a little bit, and that he decided to postpone the second operation and its succeeding therapeutic sessions for him to concentrate on finishing his new Gear.

Of course, they clearly heard him say that he had a new Gear, and so they asked him to show it to them. Grinning at Kyousuke, who worked as much as he did to contribute to its existence, he took out his new machine from his Gearbox, and proceeded to the arena to present it to everyone. As he took up his initial stance, he allowed himself to inhale deeply. He missed Gear Fighting dearly, and he was simply glad that he had been with two women who encouraged him to stop running away and to fight his demons instead, and that he had a best friend who never gave up on him no matter how hard the situation was for both of them.

_Shooting Phantom_ soared gracefully into the arena, as gracefully as he released it. Perhaps it was because of his last-minute practices, but he, too, felt that he hadn't lost his touch at all. "The rear weapon also gives it dash power. It's called a turbine piston," he explained as he watched it play around the arena along with his friends' Gears. Now loaded with a VT-Chassis, it seemed ten times faster than its forerunner, which also happened to enjoy dash-type settings.

"That looks really awesome. You two make a great team," Kouya complimented before bringing out his _Garuda Phoenix_. He could not help but notice, however, that Kyousuke made almost all their Gears, except Jirou's, and that made him beam in pride. The blonde was definitely right; they didn't have to look very far for a genius Gear Master. "All right, now it's my turn! Let's go!"

Quickly so as not to miss out in any of the team moments, Jirou and Kyousuke stepped back into the arena, joining Kuroudo and Kouya as their Gears danced around like they did, apparently warming up and getting ready for the big event. The blonde Gear Fighter closed his cerulean eyes for a few heartbeats to savor the moment, silently telling himself that there was definitely no turning back from the decision he had made. And as his friends' laughter and cheers, though vaguely and distantly, filled up his heart and eventually his very being, he knew he had the strength to carry on.

He was going to get through it, amidst the silence.

**-Owari-**

* * *

_Minna, thanks for sticking with me 'till the very end. You guys are the greatest. This is for you! :)_


End file.
